Overview
- General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah praised J.J. McCarthy’s character and said the team will build a deep, competitive quarterback room rather than naming a 2026 starter.
- ESPN’s Kevin Seifert and The Athletic’s Alec Lewis report that leadership has not ruled out a blockbuster trade for a top-tier quarterback if an opportunity arises.
- Minnesota enters the offseason roughly $30–40 million over the salary cap, a hurdle that would make any high-cost acquisition difficult despite added draft capital.
- Reporting points to a pragmatic path of adding cost-effective veteran insurance, with options such as Marcus Mariota or Mac Jones discussed as possibilities rather than certainties.
- Former Vikings are split on the approach, with Kyle Rudolph urging veteran competition for McCarthy and Cris Carter saying he expects McCarthy to open 2026 as the starter as evaluation continues.