The Minnesota Vikings are seemingly ready to enter the J.J. McCarthy era after last year’s starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, inked a lucrative contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
But just because the Vikings plan to roll with McCarthy as the starter doesn’t mean they should avoid adding another quarterback. The former Michigan Wolverine is currently the only signal-caller on the roster.
There were some rumblings that Minnesota’s front office could make a bold move and pursue four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers to compete with McCarthy, but it appears they would rather find him a veteran mentor. One of the best options still available is a former Super Bowl MVP who is still in the free-agent pool.
Vikings Predicted To Sign Free Agent QB Joe Flacco
There aren’t many quarterbacks in the NFL with more experience than Joe Flacco, who debuted in 2008 with the Baltimore Ravens. Flacco went on to win a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2012, making him one of the top potential mentors for McCarthy.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox predicts Minnesota will swoop in and sign Flacco this offseason, writing, “Ideally, the Minnesota Vikings will be able to rely on second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy throughout the 2025 season. However, the Michigan product is coming off a season-ending knee injury and has no regular-season experience.”
Flacco could even start a few games next season to ease McCarthy’s adjustment. He started six games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024 (appearing in eight), recording 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He ranked as the No. 23 quarterback in PFSN’s QB+ metric, while Darnold came in at an impressive No. 12.
While no one expects Flacco or McCarthy to match Darnold’s breakout season, the hope is that the duo can sustain Minnesota’s offense, which finished No. 13 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric.
“With Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones both out, the Vikings should consider adding another veteran QB to the locker room,” Knox wrote. “Flacco showed with the Colts last season that he can support a young quarterback and still be ready to start in a pinch. He could do the same in Minnesota without drawing the attention that Rodgers inevitably would.”
As Knox pointed out, there’s significantly less risk and commitment involved in signing Flacco. Rodgers would cost more, draw more attention, and likely demand the starting job — while Flacco checks the opposite boxes across the board.
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Even though the ideal scenario involves McCarthy thriving right away, it’s worth remembering the concerns that followed him into the NFL after college. If McCarthy struggles, having a top-notch backup like Flacco could be exactly what a playoff team like Minnesota needs. And if McCarthy hits the ground running, Flacco can be the mentor and leader in the QB room.
Regardless, improving the offensive line remains a critical task. The Vikings ranked 22nd in non-blitz pressure rate during the 2024 regular season (34%). The Vikings were a Jekyll-and-Hyde act on offense throughout the 2024 regular season, and the worst version came to play in the playoffs.
The Vikings looked like an elite unit at their best but saved their worst for last, as Minnesota’s 62.4 (D-) grade in their Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams was the team’s second-worst in three seasons under Kevin O’Connell, as well as the worst of any team on Wild Card Weekend.
The team’s struggles down the stretch likely helped the team decide to move on from Darnold and roll with McCarthy going forward, and now all eyes will be on the 22-year-old quarterback to see if he can live up to the hype.
Flacco is not a mentor. When the Colts signed him last year he made it known he was not going to be a mentor for Anthony Richardson…and he wasn’t. I’m a Colts fan from New York and watch every game. When Richardson would sit on the bench, Flacco would never look at him. Save your money and find a QB who will actually be a mentor.
Sam Ehlinger was the Colts QB who took Richardson under his wing.
If I was JJ McCarthy I would ask to be traded if this is what the viking do to him by getting Aaron Rodgers he is not that good of a quarterback anymore he had a great team in new York and he destroyed them and you think he is worth starting over JJ you are all crazy
Did you even read the article, Vikings aren’t interested in Rodgers.