As the NFL offseason rumor mill swirled last week, I wondered what Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy was thinking in the moment.
Of greater importance is this question: What is head coach Kevin O’Connell thinking when it comes to the team’s QB position?
It can be hard to differentiate between speculation and information this time of year, but there has been a preponderance of talk about how the Vikings will add competition to their QB room. O’Connell said as much in his end-of-year-session with local media more than a month ago.
That smoke figures to intensify even more next week when the NFL scouting combine begins. Yes, it’s ostensibly a place for talent evaluators to get a look at draft-eligible players. But it’s also a place for teams and agents to have conversations.
What those conversations might look like is something La Velle E. Neal III and I talked about on Thursday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
Here are some of the latest rumblings to start today’s 10 things to know:
- Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer provided some Kyler Murray-to-Minnesota fuel earlier this week on an appearance with Colin Cowherd. He said Murray’s contract “probably makes it more likely” the Cardinals end up having to cut Murray instead of trading him. If that was the case, Murray could be a relatively low-cost reclamation project similar to Sam Darnold in 2024. “You know who did a really good job of that in the last couple years? The Minnesota Vikings,” Breer said. Murray’s career has stalled because of injuries and uneven play, but he’s only 28, is a former No. 1 overall pick and made two Pro Bowls in his first three years in the league.
- What about a Kirk Cousins reunion? Jason La Canfora brought that to the forefront recently, and he’s not the first person to mention that as a possibility.
- Does McCarthy need a change of scenery already? I’d be hard-pressed to imagine the Vikings give up on him, but ESPN’s Aaron Schatz brought up the possibility albeit in couched terms. “This is likely never going to happen, because it would be ridiculous for the Vikings to unload a player who still has first-round upside after 10 starts. However, a fresh start for McCarthy with a different organization might be the best thing for his career.”
- What sort of QB makes the most sense for the Vikings? It depends on how the organization (leaning heavily on O’Connell now that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is out as GM) views him. It still seems like a Daniel Jones type is their likeliest option — someone who can win the job and potentially be a long-term solution, as Jones ended up being for Indianapolis last year.
- But a lot will depend on the message the Vikings send to prospective QBs, and as always the market will dictate their options. Their actions will ultimately tell the story, and information from the combine could start to give us clarity on that.
- In one of my group chats, there is one member who was very high on the Wild’s trade for Quinn Hughes and another member who thought the Wild gave up too much to get him. Whenever Hughes does something big, there is a certain amount of gloating. Suffice to say, Wednesday was a good day for that after Hughes lifted Team USA into the Olympic semifinals with an OT goal against Sweden.
- But of more urgent importance: It’s Team USA vs. Team Canada for the women’s hockey gold medal on Thursday.
- Chip Scoggins and I talked about the Gophers women’s basketball team on Tuesday’s Daily Delivery podcast. Minnesota went out and delivered another message Wednesday with their ninth straight win, this time over No. 10 Ohio State.
- Things I can’t believe are almost here already: Minnesota United opens the MLS regular season Saturday in Austin, while the Twins face their first MLB spring opponent (the Red Sox) on Saturday as well.
- Before that: The Wolves resume play Friday against Dallas. Chris Hine is expected to join me on Friday’s podcast to set up the post-break stretch for the Wolves.
