SPORTZONE27

In January, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was excited about the depth and talent in his quarterback group, which boasted three former first-round picks—Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and J.J. McCarthy—among five total players. But as the new league year began, Darnold, Jones, and veteran Nick Mullens all moved on to other teams. That leaves McCarthy and Brett Rypien as the only quarterbacks currently on the roster as the Vikings start their offseason program. This comes after weeks of speculation in March about a potential connection to Aaron Rodgers.

Despite winning 14 games last season, the Vikings still need to add an experienced quarterback as insurance behind 22-year-old McCarthy. O’Connell acknowledged the team’s thorough approach to finding the right fit, as free agency thinned out over the past month. “We’ve been patient and explored many options—trades, free agents, and the draft,” O’Connell said on April 21. “We’re still identifying the player who can best complete that room. The timing of it is still unclear.”

That timing will likely come shortly after the 2025 NFL Draft. Starting at 4 p.m. ET the Monday after the draft, any unsigned unrestricted free agents won’t impact the compensatory pick formula—a system the Vikings have strategically managed in recent years. They earned this year’s highest comp pick (No. 97) after letting Kirk Cousins leave, and they’re projected to receive at least two more picks next year, including a top compensatory selection for Darnold and a fifth-rounder for Cam Robinson.

Because of this, the Vikings are avoiding high-profile free-agent quarterbacks to protect their draft capital, showing continued belief in McCarthy. With the free-agent market thin—Carson Wentz being the most notable name left besides Rodgers—a trade seems like the more realistic path to find a capable veteran backup.