Looking ahead to this season
When you look at the Minnesota Vikings roster going into the season, there are a lot of question marks, and it starts at quarterback.
Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
Jul 8, 2026 8:00 AM EDT
The Minnesota Vikings are entering training camp with questions at nearly every position group, from the quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy to a defensive line room loaded with intriguing rookies. While there weren’t a lot of free agency additions for the Vikings, adding nine picks from the NFL Draft and 19 undrafted free agents does add some new blood to the roster.
As we head into training camp in three weeks, the roster has a lot of question marks, from how things will be structured and what is worth keeping an eye on.
Quarterback structure matters as much as who wins the job
Right now, the quarterback room is less about who starts and more about what happens after that decision gets made. Carson Wentz projects for me as the QB2 regardless of whether Murray or McCarthy wins the starting role. The loser of that competition likely ends up off the roster entirely.
If Murray doesn’t win the job, he likely requests a trade because he’s playing for what is probably his final big contract. For McCarthy, losing the competition would essentially eliminate his chance of being the long-term answer in Minnesota. In this scenario, Max Brosmer profiles as the developmental QB3 option.
The structure here is intentional. Keeping Wentz as the backup rather than the losing competitor removes the pressure of a starter constantly looking over his shoulder. That dynamic played a role in Sam Darnold’s success in 2024. Darnold never had someone breathing down his neck, and that mattered for his confidence and his play. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has talked about wanting to give the starting quarterback a long runway to be successful, and this is the likely path forward.
The running back room is better than people think
ESPN ranked Minnesota’s starting lineup 22nd, and one criticism centered on the running back room’s lack of additions. The real question is simple: what could the Vikings have done differently? They made inquiries on Travis Etienne and Kenneth Walker III but couldn’t afford either with their salary cap situation. Aaron Jones returned on a pay cut because they weren’t finding a better player at that price, and he likely wasn’t going to make more than $5.5 million in free agency.
Jordan Mason is the intriguing piece here. With the Frank Smith addition bringing more wide zone concepts, Mason could thrive. He excelled in that style of run game in San Francisco, averaging 3.5 yards per carry after contact throughout his career. He’s only accumulated 844 carries across college and the pros combined. Jonathan Taylor had more carries (926) at Wisconsin alone than Mason has had in eight total years of football. The lack of tread on the tires matters more than raw age.
The broader conversation about Kevin O’Connell not prioritizing the run requires more nuance than it typically receives. Quarterbacks have autonomy to audible out of run calls at the line of scrimmage, and those audibles almost always flip to passes. O’Connell gets blamed for low rush rates when Sam Darnold, Wentz, and McCarthy are the ones canning run plays based on defensive alignments. Yes, O’Connell is still responsible and he has issues with abandoning the run. However, it’s nowhere near as simple as it seems.
Jauan Jennings changes the offensive identity
Adding Jauan Jennings gives the Vikings something they haven’t had in years: a power forward at wide receiver. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are finesse players who win with route-running precision and separation. Jennings is a bully who plays like Dennis Rodman. He can box out defenders on slants and contested catches.
That distinction matters most in the red zone. Minnesota struggled there because throwing to Jefferson and Addison against physical press coverage near the goal line is more difficult when defenders can jam them for 3 yards deep into the end zone. Jennings changes the play-calling dynamic entirely and gives O’Connell a curveball he’s never had.
The defensive line features a fascinating depth chart battle
Heading into training camp, Jalen Redmond is the only guaranteed starter. Rookies Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange project as eventual starters but may not win jobs immediately. Orange’s readiness as a nose tackle could translate faster than Banks’ higher ceiling at the 5-technique, but we won’t know until they hit the field.
The projected Week 1 starters could be Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Elijah Williams, with Banks and Orange as rotational players early on. Williams came into the league at only 273 pounds out of Morgan State, but a full year in an NFL program has transformed his body and strength to match his already impressive baseline technique that he showed in limited snaps last year.
NFW Wentz is QB2 - unless there is utter disaster in the QB room. Even if he doesnt start, JJM is still a valuable asset - for now minimally.
I'll throw this out there; Does Wentz even make the squad? They like Brosmer a lot and is he showing enough progress to be Qb3 ahead of Wentz?
I do agree that J.Jennings is a signing that is probably too far off the radar for most Viking fans. I also agree that the rook IDL probably start as rotational pieces early on.
I am nowhere near as high as Forness (or a lot of Viking fans) on the RB room. Very interesting take on run rate!
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
purplefaithful wrote:
NFW Wentz is QB2 - unless there is utter disaster in the QB room. Even if he doesnt start, JJM is still a valuable asset - for now minimally.
I'll throw this out there; Does Wentz even make the squad? They like Brosmer a lot and is he showing enough progress to be Qb3 ahead of Wentz?
I do agree that J.Jennings is a signing that is probably too far off the radar for most Viking fans. I also agree that the rook IDL probably start as rotational pieces early on.
I am nowhere near as high as Forness (or a lot of Viking fans) on the RB room. Very interesting take on run rate!
Agreed. Wentz is an insurance policy, but the JJM/K1 pair are likely on the roster all season. If K1 loses the competition and demands a trade, he'd need a VERY desperate club to offer him anything besides a bench with a different paint scheme. I think that regardless who starts week 1, this season should be JJM cementing his spot as "the guy", because he has to be aware of what's at stake. K1...I just can't find as much faith.
JJennings brings a full-on potential for a "3 Deep" successor, a receiving crew that could seem gloriously familiar to those of us that loved the 98ers.
The defense...I dunno, even evaluating the kids from college and incoming FAs from tape doesn't mean much until we see if they blend with Flo's designs.
Gotta be honest, this season has a ton of potential for glory...and drama...!
Getting close to Vikings Football time...!!!
purplefaithful wrote:
NFW Wentz is QB2 - unless there is utter disaster in the QB room. Even if he doesnt start, JJM is still a valuable asset - for now minimally.
I'll throw this out there; Does Wentz even make the squad? They like Brosmer a lot and is he showing enough progress to be Qb3 ahead of Wentz?
I do agree that J.Jennings is a signing that is probably too far off the radar for most Viking fans. I also agree that the rook IDL probably start as rotational pieces early on.
I am nowhere near as high as Forness (or a lot of Viking fans) on the RB room. Very interesting take on run rate!
Agreed on the bolded part 100%.
I disagree that Jennings isn't seen by many Vikings fans as a huge benefit to this offense as we've hashed it out in here plenty. I have not seen one negative comment in regards to the Jennings signing, other than possibly someone complaining about his contract being higher than they'd like.
I am actually fairly pleased with our RB room. You're going to always have QBs audible out of plays, whether it's out of a pass or a run, so that's not anything new and really wouldn't push the scales in more favor towards KO's running rate, IMO. I would have loved to get Etienne or Walker and I believe the Chiefs are going to be far better this year with Walker/Demercado/Emmitt Johnson than with Hunt/Pacheco. I get that Jonesie is a bit over his prime on age for his position, but he is still one of the best pass blocking RBs in the league and with Smith having KO's ear, I'm hoping things open up for AJ a bit more as he has some great hands and good vision still. Mason worries me about his pass blocking, but he is a bruiser when he has the ball in his hands and should be used more and more at the goaline. I like Claiborne's potential, I would just like to see a little more beef on his body. Even Darren Sproles was more stout than this kid and he played over 10 seasons in the NFL. Claiborne has incredibly shiftiness, vision, and hands, so he can be used to spell the other two guys when needed, but I don't see him being a lead back with his weight at the moment, so if injuries pop up, it could be a little thin. I do like Zavier Scott as well, so that's 4 solid RBs. That said, I would have loved Etienne or Walker...the Chiefs will be far better with Walker in the backfield this season.
"The structure here is intentional. Keeping Wentz as the backup rather than the losing competitor removes the pressure of a starter constantly looking over his shoulder. That dynamic played a role in Sam Darnold’s success in 2024. Darnold never had someone breathing down his neck, and that mattered for his confidence and his play."
That is one writers opinion. Don't buy it for a second. I think JJ sticks as #2 if he loses the starting job to Murray. Not sure what Murray will do if he loses the starting job, but I would imagine him staying at #2. He has a low salary and it would take a desperate team to give us enough to let him go.
They won't trade JJM if he does not make QB1. Wentz won't be QB2, because he has never been mentioned as in the hunt for the QB1...it's always been KM v JJM. Wentz will be QB3.
We will see both KM and JJM on the field during this regular season. Murray has an injury history, and even if he does win QB1, the chances of him getting hurt at some point during the season is high. Very high.
KOC has gotten stung by the lack of QB depth in two of the past four years. I think with three potential NFL starting QB's in the room is where he feels he needs to be.
Please God, just one Lombardi before I die.
Montana Tom wrote:
They won't trade JJM if he does not make QB1. Wentz won't be QB2, because he has never been mentioned as in the hunt for the QB1...it's always been KM v JJM. Wentz will be QB3.
We will see both KM and JJM on the field during this regular season. Murray has an injury history, and even if he does win QB1, the chances of him getting hurt at some point during the season is high. Very high.
KOC has gotten stung by the lack of QB depth in two of the past four years. I think with three potential NFL starting QB's in the room is where he feels he needs to be.
I keep saying the same thing: with both of our likely starting QBs dealing with considerable injury histories, the Vikings' recent history shows a need to stack the QB room. It isn't even necessarily about "fragile QBs", it's about a period in the NFL where aggressive defenses and the threats of mobile QBs have created a pretty vicious reality in the backfields. The sheer number of QBs that start or end seasons on IR is a reality to be acknowledged.
Getting close to Vikings Football time...!!!
purplefaithful wrote:
NFW Wentz is QB2 - unless there is utter disaster in the QB room. Even if he doesnt start, JJM is still a valuable asset - for now minimally.
I'll throw this out there; Does Wentz even make the squad? They like Brosmer a lot and is he showing enough progress to be Qb3 ahead of Wentz?
I do agree that J.Jennings is a signing that is probably too far off the radar for most Viking fans. I also agree that the rook IDL probably start as rotational pieces early on.
I am nowhere near as high as Forness (or a lot of Viking fans) on the RB room. Very interesting take on run rate!
Brosmer is absolute trash. I don't like wentz at all but he is a much better option than Brosmer. I have no idea why he is still on the roster
Career stats
Year Year | Team Team | CMP% Completions percentage | YDS Passing yards | TD Passing touchdowns | INT Interceptions thrown | Rating Passer rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 | 66.2 | 328 | 0 | 4 | 53.0 | |
SurfnRide wrote:
Brosmer is absolute trash. I don't like wentz at all but he is a much better option than Brosmer. I have no idea why he is still on the roster
Career stats
Year
Year
Team
Team
CMP%
Completions percentage
YDS
Passing yards
TD
Passing touchdowns
INT
Interceptions thrown
Rating
Passer rating
2025
Vikings
66.2
328
0
4
53.0
Thats the rear view mirror, not the windshield...
If they do keep Maxie, it's because of potential. Maybe not Qb1 for his ceiling, but still a valuable asset.
He was in no way ready to play last year, and they had no choice but to put him out there.
Does he get a QB win for the game vs Detroit? 😁
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Montana Tom wrote:
They won't trade JJM if he does not make QB1. Wentz won't be QB2, because he has never been mentioned as in the hunt for the QB1...it's always been KM v JJM. Wentz will be QB3.
We will see both KM and JJM on the field during this regular season. Murray has an injury history, and even if he does win QB1, the chances of him getting hurt at some point during the season is high. Very high.
KOC has gotten stung by the lack of QB depth in two of the past four years. I think with three potential NFL starting QB's in the room is where he feels he needs to be.
IMO Wentz is gonna be a viking for quite some time.. Regardless of who does what, KO likes him and having a savvy 33 year back up is a luxury KO wants to keep
I don’t mind Forness’s takes a lot of the time, but his JJM takes have been all trash all off season. His bias is utterly ridiculous to an extent that needs to be questioned.
His take that the Vikings starting Murray week 1 eliminates JJM’s future with the team is dumb enough that he should be institutionalized for many reasons.
You don’t give up on a player after 10 starts he’s legit Bipolar or something like that.
Kyler has a huge injury history. If he’s injured again, who’s your QB of the future?
What if Kyler just doesn’t work in our long, drawn out, down the field passing game to meet KOC’s demands? Who’s your QB of the future? Are we going to trade our next 2 firsts to go get next years JJM/Penix or our next 4 firsts to trade up from like 18 to get next years Maye?
Buying low, selling high. Ok, we spent a 10th overall pick on JJM. You’re going to trade him for peanuts in the 2027 draft? Why wouldn’t you just wait until next offseason to trade him? Then you’d get all the potential value and probably the same trade compensation.
Furthermore, I don’t think he really understands the whole strategy of having multiple options at QB. KOC has clearly stated that he wanted to raise the overall quality of the QB room. He doesn’t want to get backed into the same corner he was last year where he was forced to start suboptimal QB options due to injury and all our QBs have injury problems. They brought in Wentz late and he was forced to start early and then he had UDFA Brosmer starting midseason. I just don’t see KOC getting rid of any of QB1, QB2, QB3 this year unless Brosmer outshines them so hard that he can’t be put on the practice squad.
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