The Minnesota Vikings are having a darn rough offseason! Not only did their rookie QB JJ McCarthy suffer a season-ending injury, but now there’s a crazy trade proposal floating around: swap McCarthy for Steelers’ QB Russell Wilson.

In a recent tweet dropped by Steelers Depot X account, former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum just threw out a trade idea that’s making waves: swap Wilson to the Vikings and sign Ryan Tannehill. Tannenbaum thinks this trade could be a game-changer for Minnesota, which is struggling after their rookie quarterback’s season-ending injury. He spilled the tea: “To me, I think the win-win here is to trade Russell Wilson to Minnesota. And then Ryan Tannehill is still a free agent, guys. When you go back to two years when Tannehill was with Arthur Smith at Tennessee, they had an unbelievable two-year run. And now you have Justin Fields, Ryan Tannehill who knows his system and has done a great job.”

So, about McCarthy—things were looking pretty sweet for the Vikings’ rookie. He had a killer preseason debut, racking up 188 yards and two TDs. But then, bam! A torn meniscus in his knee, which was supposed to be a small tweak, ended up needing surgery. Just like that, his season’s over before it even started. This injury’s a real gut-punch for the Michigan Wolverines’ standout. 

With McCarthy out, draft analyst Jordan Reid, national reporter Jeremy Fowler, and ESPN’s reporter Kevin Seifert broke down the impact on the Vikings. Reid said that the rookie’s injury is a major bummer for his development. He was already a bit green in the passing game, given he only had a handful of big throws in college. Missing out on these live reps is going to be a tough break for his growth. 

Jeremy Fowler chimed in on the QB situation, noting that while the Vikings don’t urgently need another QB, their options are looking pretty thin. Ryan Tannehill is the big name out there, but the free-agent pool is otherwise dry. Fowler also pointed out that Minnesota’s got enough depth to hang tight with the current roster, though. “Except for Ryan Tannehill, the options are scarce on the free agent market. It wouldn’t surprise to see the Vikings at least evaluate the outside options, but they have enough talent to sustain without McCarthy,” the national reporter asserted. 

Kevin Seifert keeps it cool about how this shakes up the offense, though. He said it’s not going to affect Justin Jefferson’s game too much. Sam Darnold’s already been vibing well with Jefferson in practice, and the offense will stick to its running game strategy. “Darnold and Jefferson have begun establishing a clear rapport in training camp practices, with Jefferson noting Darnold’s ability to ‘put touch on the ball here and there’ and understanding ‘what speed he needs to throw the ball and how he needs to throw the ball’,” the ESPN reporter alluded. The loss of McCarthy doesn’t hit too hard, as the game plan remains solid with Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler ready to roll. 

Looking at the Vikings’ 2024 and 2025 seasons, Seifert sees a mixed bag. They’ll need to adjust, but there’s talent on deck to keep them in the game, even without McCarthy.

With JJ McCarthy out, Darnold steps up, and 2025 decisions loom  

With Minnesota’s rookie QB out for the season, the team’s in a tough spot. Sam Darnold, initially a stopgap, now has to be the long-term solution. The 27-year-old looked solid in practices and has been building legit chemistry with Jefferson. But let’s be real—he’s got a 21-35 starter record from his days with the Jets and Panthers, and was a backup with the 49ers last season. If Darnold hits a rough patch or gets banged up, the Vikings are stuck with Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall—who posted a 1-4 record last year.

If we look at the 2025 offseason, things could get pretty dicey. Darnold’s on a one-year deal, so the big question is whether the Vikings will keep him or hunt for a new veteran QB. Meanwhile, HC Kevin O’Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are in year three of their contracts and definitely feeling the pressure to nail the transition from Kirk Cousins.

If JJ McCarthy doesn’t come back in 2024 which is highly unlikely, how will owners Zygi and Mark Wilf evaluate O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah? Decisions ahead are going to be huge for the Vikings’ future.