No topic has arguably been hotter this NFL season than the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback carousel. The drama began with J.J. McCarthy finally taking the reins after a successful run by Sam Darnold in 2024, only to see McCarthy sidelined by an injury that some have described as a “soft benching.”
This led to the latest saga: Carson Wentz, McCarthy’s replacement, playing with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, culminating in an embarrassing 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday night.
Who Will Replace Carson Wentz on the Minnesota Vikings Roster?
Since Carson Wentz’s season-ending injury was announced on Monday, plenty of names have been thrown around as potential depth additions behind J.J. McCarthy, who is scheduled to return Sunday versus the Detroit Lions, and Max Brosmer.
Desmond Ridder, who spent a short time on the roster just after McCarthy went down, is still a free agent. There were rumors that the Vikings contacted the New York Giants about Russell Wilson’s availability.
However, the Vikings eventually landed on a name not many expected, as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported today:
The Vikings are signing veteran QB John Wolford to the practice squad, per sources.
Wolford was coached by Kevin O’Connell with the Rams and spent training camp this year with KOC protege Grant Udinski in Jacksonville. Some experienced depth behind J.J. McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/ANyEWLE19b
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 29, 2025
John Wolford hasn’t been on an active roster since 2023, when he went 1-2 as the Los Angeles Rams starter. He was on the team that won Super Bowl LVI and was with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell for all three seasons there. Wolford also spent this year’s training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars but was part of their final roster cuts.
In Minnesota, he will likely serve as a veteran voice to help coach the younger quarterbacks on the ins and outs of O’Connell’s system.
Why Was Carson Wentz Allowed to Play With a Shoulder Injury?
While the reviews are mixed and the details are limited, the situation in Los Angeles last week raises serious questions about the team’s decision-making. Wentz is a warrior, and everyone knows it. In 2017, for instance, he threw a touchdown pass in a win over the Los Angeles Rams after tearing his ACL.
Additionally, the Vikings were Wentz’s childhood team. After bouncing around the league for the past six seasons, you can understand why he may have felt this was his last shot to start, not only for Minnesota but perhaps for any team. That motivation alone can fuel a player to push through significant pain. Still, someone needed to step in and protect him from himself.
This isn’t the 1990s. Player safety is paramount in today’s NFL, and letting Wentz continue to play when a healthy Max Brosmer was available as a backup was a bad look. This decision becomes even more concerning when coupled with reports that McCarthy injured his ankle in the third quarter of the Week 2 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons and was not taken out of the game. Taken together, these instances make you wonder what protocols the Vikings follow.
