Vikings rumor from NFL Network links Minnesota to 4 veteran quarterbacks

The Minnesota Vikings' quarterback situation is set to headline the franchise's uncertain offseason ahead.

J..J. McCarthy started most of the season for Minnesota in 2025, but he was incredibly underwhelming and continued to deal with injury issues after missing his entire rookie campaign in 2024 due to a torn meniscus.

It would be wise for the Vikings to bring in a veteran signal-caller to compete with McCarthy, and based on a Super Bowl Sunday rumor from NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, that sounds like the plan.

According to Pelissero, Minnesota is expected to acquire a veteran quarterback, and he also added a list of four quarterbacks that the Vikings could target.

"It's not hard to figure out who the potential fits could be," Pelissero said. Mac Jones in a trade, but that would be expensive. If a Kyler Murray or Geno Smith becomes available via release, those could be options for Minnesota. Even Kirk Cousins, once he's released next month, could be on the Vikings' radar."

It's unclear whether Minnesota is willing to give up trade capital for a quarterback, but if they are, Jones, Murray, and Smith make sense as potential options.

Jones showed promise in eight starts with the 49ers in 2025, leading San Francisco to a 5-3 record and playing efficient football by completing nearly 70% of his passes. The 27-year-old would push McCarthy in training camp and could even take the Vikings' starting job.

Murray and Smith are less of a sell, but are also possibilities for Minnesota. Murray played just five games this season due to a foot injury, and Smith is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career in 2025 with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Given their contracts, trading for either guy would be a nightmare move, but if they hit the free agency market, it wouldn't hurt the Vikings to just take a look.

A Kirk Cousins reunion with the Vikings would be ideal. Cousins actually put together a solid 2025 campaign with the Atlanta Falcons, and can still be a viable starter.

The Falcons are set to release Cousins before the new league year, and a return to Minnesota to compete with McCarthy and push for the starting role seems perfect.

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