The Minnesota Vikings haven’t been in a hurry to bring in another quarterback to compete with or support second-year QB J.J. McCarthy—but that might change soon after the NFL Draft, which is just over a week away.
With only four picks in the draft, it’s unlikely the Vikings will use one on a quarterback. Instead, the smarter route might be pursuing a veteran through a trade or free agency—someone who can either mentor McCarthy or step in if he struggles or gets hurt.
Will Levis of the Tennessee Titans doesn’t really fit the mentor mold, but he could be a practical option as a backup. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report proposed a trade on April 18 in which Minnesota would send a 2026 third-round pick to Tennessee for Levis and this year’s fourth-round pick (No. 120 overall). This would give the Vikings some much-needed draft capital.
“Right now, the Vikings only have Brett Rypien behind McCarthy,” Knox wrote. “Bringing in Levis would give them a quarterback with some starting experience without risking a compensatory pick in 2026. While Levis may not be a great mentor, his 21 career starts could make him a viable fill-in if McCarthy isn’t ready to go at the start of the season.”
Will Levis Has Shown Mixed Results in the NFL
Levis, drafted 33rd overall by the Titans in 2023, has started 21 games and completed 61% of his passes for 3,900 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. His record as a starter is 5-16.
While some of that poor win-loss record falls on Levis, the Titans themselves have struggled since their last playoff appearance in 2021. Since 2022, Tennessee has gone 16-35 and holds the top pick in the upcoming draft, where they’re expected to select QB Cam Ward—likely putting Levis on the trading block. He has two years left on his rookie contract, valued at $9.5 million total.
Vikings Missed Out on Backup QBs in Free Agency, Opted Against Rodgers
Although Levis’ success in the NFL has been modest, he’s a more proven option than McCarthy, who was selected 10th overall last year but missed the entire 2024 season due to a knee injury that required two surgeries.
Veteran QBs Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones, who were with Minnesota last season, left in free agency for starting jobs elsewhere. The Vikings are expected to add another quarterback—likely as McCarthy’s backup—but their options in free agency and trade are thinning.
They also reportedly weighed signing Aaron Rodgers to a short-term deal but ultimately chose not to pursue that route.