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One of the top priorities for the Minnesota Vikings this offseason is to sign a veteran quarterback behind JJ McCarthy.
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There are several reasons why the Vikings need to do this, not the least of which is that the jury is still out on McCarthy.
Minnesota needs someone who can step in and provide competition for its young signal-callers while also providing consistent, winning competition at quarterback if the Michigan product struggles and gets benched.
Injuries are also an issue for McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season and seven games in 2025 with a knee injury.
The Vikings had Carson Wentz backing up McCarthy last season, but the veteran is set to become a free agent and there’s no indication Minnesota is interested in bringing him back.
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K. Joudry, an analyst at PurplePTSD, predicts the Vikings will acquire Justin Fields from the New York Jets in a “push for JJ McCarthy.”
“In Minnesota, Mr. Fields will be counted on to push JJ McCarthy. The Vikings hope the No. 10 pick in 2024 wins the job, but can no longer assume the Michigan native will be the team’s pass rusher,” Choudry wrote.
Fields is completely out with the Jets in 2025 after signing a two-year, $40 million contract, and the two teams are now expected to part ways in some form or fashion.
If the Vikings want a veteran backup who is unlikely to beat McCarthy, Fields is the man for the job.
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While Fields has undoubtedly shown flashes of brilliance during his career, he hasn’t cemented himself as a viable starting quarterback in the NFL.
He was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league in 2025 with the Jets, and in six starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, he wasn’t good enough to replace Russell Wilson, even if the veteran struggled down the stretch.
But all of this also suggests that Fields is unlikely to be able to save the Vikings’ season if McCarthy’s situation worsens and he struggles to be benched.
What the Vikings need is an upgrade over Wentz, and Fields isn’t that guy.
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But if the market thins out and Minnesota struggles to find a better option, we could see the former first-round pick land in Minnesota.