The Minnesota Vikings are preparing to add a quality quarterback this offseason to bolster a roster that currently includes only J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer, an undrafted free agent who struggled during his brief appearances last season. Speculation has grown around a possible trade for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones, prompting Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell to clarify his stance on McCarthy’s status as a franchise quarterback.
O’Connell acknowledged that
“a lot of those feelings are still the same,”
referring to his ongoing belief in McCarthy’s potential, but emphasized that the timeline for his development has shifted since 2024. According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, O’Connell explained that the team must combine current data with past experiences to make informed decisions about the roster in 2026 and beyond. As O’Connell put it,
“And I have a responsibility — we have a responsibility collectively as we put together this team — to make sure that we use the data that we have at this time and the experiences we have, the feelings that we’ve had at different times as an organization.”
The “feelings” O’Connell mentioned refer back to his August 2024 remarks, when he described McCarthy, then a rookie who showed promise before a season-ending injury, as “our franchise quarterback.”
Assessing the Likelihood of McCarthy Starting for the Vikings in 2026
The key question facing the Vikings is whether McCarthy will be their starting quarterback next season. By adding strength and depth to the quarterback room, the organization aims to create space for McCarthy to develop while safeguarding against potential injuries or inconsistent performance, which have already impacted his young career.
Among the prospects, Mac Jones stands out as a strong candidate to join the Vikings, though acquiring him would likely require significant draft capital for a player with just one year left on his contract and a probable high salary in the following season. Jones’s continued strong showing in relief of 49ers starter Brock Purdy in 2025 only complicates this calculation.
It appears any quarterback added will serve as a competitor to McCarthy rather than as an outright replacement—unless an exceptional talent such as Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow becomes available. Ultimately, the decision about who will be Minnesota’s starting quarterback in September 2026 likely hinges on McCarthy’s performance in preseason games and training camp.
Kevin O'Connell today on if he still views J.J. McCarthy as a franchise QB: "A lot of those feelings are still the same. It's just the timeline is in a different place for all of us than it was [in 2024]."
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) February 24, 2026
