No matter how these final five games of the season turn out for the Minnesota Vikings, the franchise’s biggest second-guess of 2025 has become painfully clear.
Going all-in on 22-year-old quarterback J.J. McCarthy back in March made plenty of sense at the time. It was the front office’s complete lack of urgency to complement McCarthy with a suitable veteran backup, however, that continues to miff fans months later.
Things didn’t work with Sam Darnold nor Daniel Jones, as both landed better QB1 opportunities elsewhere in free agency. That doesn’t excuse the team’s head-scratching decision to first add Sam Howell to the roster late, only to cut ties with him in August to sign Carson Wentz off his couch, seemingly on a whim.