Following a 14-win season in 2024, Minnesota slipped to 9-8 in 2025 and missed the playoffs, with Sam Darnold departing and J.J. McCarthy’s first-season start not yielding the desired consistency. Injuries and uneven play hampered McCarthy’s progression, fueling talk that the Vikings may pursue a veteran or alternative quarterback solution this offseason.
Vikings legend John Randle added a strong caution against pursuing Carr or Cousins, telling Purple Daily he’s not a fan of Carr and emphasized the need for a quarterback who can reliably manage and lead an offense, rather than simply “say the right things” without sustained success.
Meanwhile, reports suggest Minnesota could be an appealing landing spot for Carr if he unretired for the 2026 season. NFL.com’s Nick Shook noted that the Vikings could offer a camp competition for the starting job, with McCarthy needing more development and Minnesota potentially acting with less patience given their fading 2025 playoff bid.
Carr has publicly indicated he would consider unretiring for the right situation, conditioned on health and a realistic path to competing for a title. The team’s current plan for McCarthy remains under review, as officials assess whether a veteran presence or a longer-term solution is preferable.
On the Cousins front, the latest clarity points toward a potential release, though NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo suggested Cousins could still be an option for Atlanta or other teams depending on contract restructuring and free-agent market dynamics. The Falcons’ cap situation and Cousins’ familiarity with that system keep the door open for a possible return in a different setting, should the Vikings move in a new direction.
