All Things 2025 Minnesota Vikings Off-Season Thread

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Thought I'd take a quick look and see what is actually available for the Vikings on the market for a backup QB. There were actually a few more names out there that I wouldn't HATE, guys that could get you by for 3-5 games at the most but not more?

Joe Flacco
Sam Ehlinger
Cooper Rush
Carson Wentz
Mike White

Other than maybe Flacco, you wouldn't want to turn your season over to any of these for 2-3 months, but they could work in a pinch with the current roster to get you by for a short time
 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
Thought I'd take a quick look and see what is actually available for the Vikings on the market for a backup QB. There were actually a few more names out there that I wouldn't HATE, guys that could get you by for 3-5 games at the most but not more?

Joe Flacco
Sam Ehlinger
Cooper Rush
Carson Wentz
Mike White

Other than maybe Flacco, you wouldn't want to turn your season over to any of these for 2-3 months, but they could work in a pinch with the current roster to get you by for a short time
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I believe Rush signed with BAL. I'd have Flacco and Winston far ahead of anyone else.
 

Slim Tubby said:
I believe Rush signed with BAL. I'd have Flacco and Winston far ahead of anyone else.
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The list I pulled from was an article dated the 14th, apologies if Rush has signed.

I don't know if Winston is a choice for a serious team, considering his prolific ability to turn the ball over. Like the Browns recently, he can come in for a bad team and electrify the fans, maybe win a few games even, but there's a reason that no real contending team (that I can recall?) has signed him for a good number of years. And I say that as an overall fan of Winston, his teammates seem to love him. I also have no clue what kind of fit he is for what KOC is running
 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
Thought I'd take a quick look and see what is actually available for the Vikings on the market for a backup QB. There were actually a few more names out there that I wouldn't HATE, guys that could get you by for 3-5 games at the most but not more?

Joe Flacco
Sam Ehlinger
Cooper Rush
Carson Wentz
Mike White

Other than maybe Flacco, you wouldn't want to turn your season over to any of these for 2-3 months, but they could work in a pinch with the current roster to get you by for a short time
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I would be fine waiting until post Draft to see what shakes out or even longer for any Training Camp/Salary Cap casualties. Others could later be available for modest future Draft compensation
 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
The list I pulled from was an article dated the 14th, apologies if Rush has signed.

I don't know if Winston is a choice for a serious team, considering his prolific ability to turn the ball over. Like the Browns recently, he can come in for a bad team and electrify the fans, maybe win a few games even, but there's a reason that no real contending team (that I can recall?) has signed him for a good number of years. And I say that as an overall fan of Winston, his teammates seem to love him. I also have no clue what kind of fit he is for what KOC is running
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I actually think a pretty reasonable fit. Arm talent has never seemed to be his issue but more the brain dead plays he makes at times. The bigger question I think the Vikes would have to answer with him is would he be willing to take a back seat if you go to JJ and he's seemed like the teammate who's loved in the locker room (even if he gives some of the worst pregame speeches of all time)
 


upnorthkid said:
I actually think a pretty reasonable fit. Arm talent has never seemed to be his issue but more the brain dead plays he makes at times. The bigger question I think the Vikes would have to answer with him is would he be willing to take a back seat if you go to JJ and he's seemed like the teammate who's loved in the locker room (even if he gives some of the worst pregame speeches of all time)
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Winston's been a back-up for several years now. Not sure why that would be an issue. I'll take the arm talent and count on KOC to coach the turnovers out of him.
 

Here's my complete wild-a** guess on what could be happening. Apparently Rodgers wants a 2-year contract. While the Vikings are currently only willing to give Rodgers a 1-year contract with the idea that they don't want to keep JJ McCarthy on the bench for two more years. With a one year deal, if Rodgers just doesn't have it, they can bench/cut Rodgers and go to McCarthy mid year.

So, one of the two sides has said, okay, give us x number of days to decide if we will budge.
 


Donovan said:
Here's my complete wild-a** guess on what could be happening. Apparently Rodgers wants a 2-year contract. While the Vikings are currently only willing to give Rodgers a 1-year contract with the idea that they don't want to keep JJ McCarthy on the bench for two more years. With a one year deal, if Rodgers just doesn't have it, they can bench/cut Rodgers and go to McCarthy mid year.

So, one of the two sides has said, okay, give us x number of days to decide if we will budge.
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Thats a good as guess as any. There is some thing to this
 



Heard this might be coming down the pike. It's weird a guy with this much talent just never seemed to hit it big in the NFL. If Flores and the D-staff can get this guy playing at any kind of level, holy crap could that be a home run

 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
Heard this might be coming down the pike. It's weird a guy with this much talent just never seemed to hit it big in the NFL. If Flores and the D-staff can get this guy playing at any kind of level, holy crap could that be a home run

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The talent is still there, he just can't make it through a season without injury. Another great move by KAM considering it's just a one (1) year deal for depth with upside.

* The Vikings still have $29M in cap space with more attainable through contract restructures if necessary.

* OC Bradbury intends to sign with NE
 

Alec Lewis at The Athletic put out a good piece today on how the Vikings move forward at the backup QB position, listing 5 possible names:

- Joe Flacco
- Ryan Tannehill
- Aidan O'Connell
- Sam Howell
- Drew Lock

I could live with just about any of these except maybe Drew Lock; the drawback with O'Connell (among other things) would be that he would cost them SOMETHING in the way of draft capital.

Tannehill, apparently, has been willing to play these last few years but it had to be the right situation and that just never presented itself last year I guess.
 





Well, that's that. I thought Rodgers to the Vikings was the move.

But time to move on and embrace that McCarthy will be our starter Week 1 in 2025.


That's a strong ass move ... and if it turns out to be Bryce Young instead of Jayden Daniels .... I'm not so sure some people shouldn't lose their jobs.


Hopefully a mentor like Flacco can be the backup, rather than someone like Wentz.
 

An entirely plausible option here is for Rodgers to sit out for the time being and see how it goes for JJ and the Vikes. Unless he's playing for money, the Giants really don't make sense and Pittsburgh not much more.
 

GopherGrit said:
Well, that's that. I thought Rodgers to the Vikings was the move.

But time to move on and embrace that McCarthy will be our starter Week 1 in 2025.

That's a strong ass move ... and if it turns out to be Bryce Young instead of Jayden Daniels .... I'm not so sure some people shouldn't lose their jobs.

Hopefully a mentor like Flacco can be the backup, rather than someone like Wentz.
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Really "that's that"?!? There is still an entire Draft, mini-camp, summer offseason, training camp, multiple scrimmages before Labor Day / Week 1.

Cheer up buckaroo, the Old Gunslinger #4 never stepped 1 foot in Mankato for either of his seasons with the Vikings. Both years they were already well into the Exhibition season and back in Winter Park/Eden Prairie.

I'm saying all that as one who is not in favor of bringing Rodgers in, but to think that it's OVER in mid-March is not very aware of how it works in the NFL.
 

Ope3 said:
Really "that's that"?!? There is still an entire Draft, mini-camp, summer offseason, training camp, multiple scrimmages before Labor Day / Week 1.

Cheer up buckaroo, the Old Gunslinger #4 never stepped 1 foot in Mankato for either of his seasons with the Vikings. Both years they were already well into the Exhibition season and back in Winter Park/Eden Prairie.

I'm saying all that as one who is not in favor of bringing Rodgers in, but to think that it's OVER in mid-March is not very aware of how it works in the NFL.
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Agree for most part but I do think he will now sign with Steelers if he really wants to play and therefore unavailable should things go south with JJ.
Think we'll know his intentions by the draft.
 

TNGophfan said:
Agree for most part but I do think he will now sign with Steelers if he really wants to play and therefore unavailable should things go south with JJ.
Think we'll know his intentions by the draft.
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True, but also all of what I said could apply to several other veteran QB options that could be in place should KOC not be confident in JJM being ready to go Week 1.

Teams may Draft somebody that all of a sudden makes their current QB expendable, either right of the bat or through training camp competition casualty. Maybe a team gets other players that requires them to dump some salary. Just spit ballin'.

To think it's "settled" 2 days after St Patrick's Day, just isn't how it works. A lot can happen.
 


I’ll say it. JJ may not be healthy enough/ still damaged and the vikes are creating a false narrative.
 

Spaulding!No! said:
I’ll say it. JJ may not be healthy enough/ still damaged and the vikes are creating a false narrative.
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They could also be buying some time to see how JJ looks in the Vikings' off-season workouts and practices. It does seem like the Steelers are going to want an answer sooner rather than later, though.
 

HA!! This could be true! Everything the Vikings have done so far with FA signings has essentially protected their standing with Comp Picks

 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
HA!! This could be true! Everything the Vikings have done so far with FA signings has essentially protected their standing with Comp Picks

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Just for reference, Flacco made $4.5M with Indianapolis in 2024.
 

Slim Tubby said:
WR Rondale Moore visiting the Vikings today. He'd be a nice WR3 option if he could ever stay healthy.
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After visiting a couple other teams, Moore signed with the Vikings tonight. With Addison likely suspended for three (3) games, we could use the depth.
 


Ope3 said:
Really "that's that"?!? There is still an entire Draft, mini-camp, summer offseason, training camp, multiple scrimmages before Labor Day / Week 1.

Cheer up buckaroo, the Old Gunslinger #4 never stepped 1 foot in Mankato for either of his seasons with the Vikings. Both years they were already well into the Exhibition season and back in Winter Park/Eden Prairie.

I'm saying all that as one who is not in favor of bringing Rodgers in, but to think that it's OVER in mid-March is not very aware of how it works in the NFL.
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Fair points.

Notwithstanding that I have no visibility to the ultimate reasons why Rodgers didn't come ... it could have had more to do with money/terms than anything else.

That said, assuming it was just that the Vikings didn't think they needed him and wanted to focus on McCarthy ....

it's tough for me to see what could happen between now and the first game, other than a significant injury/tweak, where they were so confident in whatever McCarthy has been able to show since he has been physically cleared to workout that they turned away likely the only vet who could challenge him for the starting job .... to then be like "ah crap ... whoops ... we probably should've brought him, McCarthy ain't lookin so good ...."

That's not a "aw shucks, do better next time" mistake, that would be a blunder.

That's tough for me to see. Even tougher for me to see them admitting. And ergo, to me that means McCarthy is untouchable as the starter at this point.


I could very easily be wrong! :)
 

Pretty impressive comments from Bynum about JJ McCarthy. Feeling better and better about him taking over all the time.

 

GopherGrit said:
Fair points.

Notwithstanding that I have no visibility to the ultimate reasons why Rodgers didn't come ... it could have had more to do with money/terms than anything else.

That said, assuming it was just that the Vikings didn't think they needed him and wanted to focus on McCarthy ....

it's tough for me to see what could happen between now and the first game, other than a significant injury/tweak, where they were so confident in whatever McCarthy has been able to show since he has been physically cleared to workout that they turned away likely the only vet who could challenge him for the starting job .... to then be like "ah crap ... whoops ... we probably should've brought him, McCarthy ain't lookin so good ...."

That's not a "aw shucks, do better next time" mistake, that would be a blunder.

That's tough for me to see. Even tougher for me to see them admitting. And ergo, to me that means McCarthy is untouchable as the starter at this point.


I could very easily be wrong! :)
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Well reasoned.

I think by the season starts the Vikes will at least have a backup who if called upon for any one game they still believe can win. If needed for a month they should still be expected to go 2-2 (at least) and not derail the whole season.

This past October I went Nashville to see Jason Isbell play a concert at the Ryman Auditorium. Same day, earlier I watched the Colts under the direction of Joe Flacco play the Titans at Nissan Stadium

Isbell even though he's more than 5 years older than Flacco was probably more mobile. Both gave winning performances that day though.

I would be fine if the Vikings get in the Flacco business.
 
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Shama chimes in:

There is a possibility the NFL will suspend star wide receiver Jordan Addison for multiple games during the 2025 season. The impact on the outcome of those games could be significant for a team with Super Bowl ambitions.

Addison was arrested last July by the California Highway Patrol on suspicion of driving under the influence. His car was reportedly found blocking traffic on I-105 near Los Angeles International Airport while he was asleep in the driver’s seat.

The NFL is waiting for the legal process to proceed before issuing a possible sanction that could be a three-game suspension. Jordan has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor charges stemming from his arrest.

Fox 9 reported last week Jordan had a pre-trial hearing on March 12 in Los Angeles County Superior Court and that a pre-trial conference date is set for April 10. When the legal process concludes the NFL will decide if Addison has violated the league substance abuse policy.

This isn’t Addison’s first road incident as a Viking. In 2023 he was cited for speeding and reckless driving at 140 MPH on Interstate 94 in St. Paul. He later pled guilty to a misdemeanor speeding charge, $686 fine and had his license suspended for six months.

In two seasons Addison has proven his high value to an offense that is the envy of many rival teams. He’s an exceptional complement to superstar wide receiver and teammate Justin Jefferson.

Addison has been both durable and productive. He has played in 32 of 34 regular season games. He has 1,786 career receiving yards and 19 touchdowns while averaging an impressive 13.4 yards per reception.


Skol Vikes!!
 

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