There is a growing sense that the Minnesota Vikings are content going into the 2025 season with the idea that second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be the team’s starter.
There is a growing sense that the Minnesota Vikings are content going into the 2025 season with the idea that second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be the team’s starter. That comes after weeks of rumors linking free agent Aaron Rodgers to Minnesota, but NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Wednesday that the team would be backing off and seeking other veteran option.
One alternative, which Kevin Seifert of ESPN linked to the Vikings, is 40-year-old Joe Flacco, who is set to enter his 18th season in the NFL. “The Vikings will need to continue working to find a veteran backup for McCarthy, as multiple candidates have signed elsewhere while the Vikings discussed Rodgers,” Seifert wrote. “Veteran Brett Rypien is the only other quarterback on the roster. Possibilities include veterans Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz.”
Since 2018, Flacco has bounced around between five different teams and has not started more than 10 games in a single season, making him more of an emergency option for most. In 2024, he appeared in eight games for the Indianapolis Colts, completing 162-of-248 passes for 1,616 yards, 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 90.5 passer rating.
However, he did have a bit of a resurgence for the Cleveland Browns in 2023, winning AP Comeback Player of the Year, starting five games, and completing 123-of-204 passes for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 90.2 passer rating. Flacco would also be an extremely cheap option for the Vikings, as Spotrac places his market value at $3.2 million annually, which is just a fraction of his $180 million career earnings.
