The Minnesota Vikings will be adding another quarterback to a roster that only features an inexperienced pair in J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer. The question is, what type of QB will head coach Kevin O’Connell prioritize?
If the Vikings are deadset on ensuring they get more wins in 2026 than the nine they achieved in 2025, they’ll look for someone who’s accomplished much more than McCarthy has in the NFL thus far. They may even target a former Pro Bowl QB.
Recently, The Athletic‘s Vikings insider, Alec Lewis, made a strong case for the team acquiring Mac Jones this offseason. Lewis says there is “perhaps no candidate who checks more boxes for what the Vikings are looking for than Jones.”
“He has the pedigree as a former first-rounder. Like former Vikings starter Sam Darnold, he spent a season with Kyle Shanahan in a similar system. Jones pushes the ball over the middle of the field. He anticipates. His guaranteed salary for 2026 is only $1 million. And he has shown an ability to play through injury and win games for a locker room that quickly embraced him. The biggest hurdle here might be prying Jones from San Francisco. The 49ers are going to drive a hard bargain.”
The Athletic’s Alex Lewis on Mac Jones/Vikings
San Francisco won’t want to just give Jones away, not after he led the team to a 5-3 record. Even though he’s set to be a backup, the 49ers place a high value on the one-time Pro Bowl QB who’s still just 27 years old.
For QB-needy teams, they may view the former first-round pick as a potential long-term solution. Jones is coming off the best season of his career, completing 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 TDs, and six interceptions. Now, teams like the Vikings may feel like he’s capable of doing much more, especially with another strong foundation in place.
Related: Minnesota Vikings Drastically Changed Passing Concepts For J.J. McCarthy
