As one of the few teams heading into the 2026 season still without a starting quarterback, people have mentioned the Minnesota Vikings as a potential landing spot for Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby.
The story has dominated college football headlines for the better part of the year, and now it finally seems that Sorsby is making the jump to the NFL, assuming the league signs off on it. So while Sorsby files the paperwork and sets up pro day workouts, the NFL still has to approve it all, and there may be significant hurdles.
Sorsby was caught making thousands of bets over the last few years, including some on his own team, and was ultimately investigated by the NCAA. After weeks of back-and-forth between the NCAA, Sorsby’s legal team, and even a local court, Sorsby’s future was as nebulous as ever. Now, after backlash from virtually every program in college sports, it appears that Sorsby will opt for the NFL route and enter the Supplementary Draft.
The initial reports are that Sorsby could go in the second or third round. That would make him the first player selected since 2019, and the highest player taken since Josh Gordon went in the second in 2012. In Sorsby’s last season at Cincinnati, he completed 61.6% of his passes for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns, and just five interceptions while adding 580 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. So, could the Vikings be interested?
Theoretically, yes. Getting a potential first-round talent at a premium position for just a second- or third-round pick appears to be some easy math at first glance. Had Sorsby finished 2026 with another quality season, he likely would have been one of the first quarterbacks off the board in the 2027 NFL Draft. But if a deal sounds too good to be true, it likely is, and there are many potential problems with the Vikings getting involved.
The first issue is the obvious off-field concerns. While Sorsby sought treatment for his gambling addiction, teams will still be very wary of using valuable draft capital on a player who was gambling on football as recently as a few months ago. The Vikings will be no exception, and under Kevin O’Connell, have generally shied away from players with potential off-field issues. In a perfect world, Sorsby has put that part of his life behind him, but there won’t be any guarantees.
The Vikings will almost certainly start Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy this season, so a possible suspension for Sorsby wouldn’t necessarily be a holdup. But taking Sorsby would suggest Minnesota isn’t very confident their 2027 starter is on the roster. Whoever wins the job this year has a good chance at earning it again next season. However, between Murray’s injury history and McCarthy’s erratic first year, Sorsby may find a window of opportunity.
Still, recreating this offseason’s circus around the quarterback again in 2027 may be more than the Vikings are willing to handle. But the franchise is no stranger to desperate Hail Mary attempts at finding a quarterback. From the trade for a 35-year-old Donovan McNabb, to offering Kirk Cousins the first-ever fully guaranteed multi-year contract, to scooping up Kyler Murray this spring, Minnesota hasn’t been afraid to pursue unusual avenues to find a quarterback. However, this one seems a bit too out there, even for Minnesota’s desperate tendencies.
Likely the biggest reason that the Vikings are likely out on a Sorsby addition is that it takes valuable draft capital away from new general manager Nolan Teasley before his first draft. Teasley will be eager to start crafting his team, and ripping away a second-rounder right off the bat probably isn’t an option.
Next year’s draft could also be especially deep at quarterback, and if the Vikings were interested, there would be a slew of options. If Murray and McCarthy either don’t pan out or don’t stick around, the inevitable poor record would then put Minnesota in a prime position to nab a signal-caller next year. But taking a swing on Sorsby with a supplementary pick that would then disappear for 2027’s draft would be quite the stunning first move for the new GM.
Ultimately, the Vikings are a possible fit for Brendan Sorsby because they don’t have Patrick Mahomes on the roster. Beyond that obvious link, burning a potential 2027 draft pick on a player with baggage is probably a risk Minnesota isn’t willing to take.
Ideally, either Murray or McCarthy takes control and becomes the starter for 2027 and beyond. Minnesota has taken some unusual approaches to finding quarterbacks in the past, and Sorsby’s situation is certainly unusual. Still, the Vikings will take a backseat on this one.
