It is anything but a foregone conclusion that J.J. McCarthy will be the ' starting quarterback in 2026. We previously felt strongly about McCarthy's chances, as one season felt like it was too soon to give up on the young signal-caller, even though he struggled mightily in 2025. However, it appears that thought proce s might have been misguided, as reports that "all bets are off" when it comes to McCarthy's future. Seifert cites the firing of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and increased urgency for Kevin O'Connell as reasons the Vikings could "take a big swing at finding a veteran quarterback who could start in 2026." "The best Jimmy Lambert Jersey way to put this, based on what sources have said, is that all bets are off. The general manager who drafted McCarthy No. 10 in 2024 has been fired, and the coach who was in full agreement with that decision is now under considerably more scrutiny," Seifert wrote. "If anything, these events increase the chances that the Vikings will take a big swing atfinding a veteran quarterbackwho could start in 2026," he added. "The only thing more damaging than making the mistakes the Vikings made last season would be to repeat them this year." In a win-now window, and with what we saw out of McCarthy last season, the Vikings should be exploring all of their options at quarterback. At the very least, the Vikings need to bring in a veteran insurance policy who can push McCarthy and keep the Vikings afloat if he falters. But it's not outlandish to think Minnesota could bring someone in to replace McCarthy entirely. If Minnesota brings in another Carson Wentz-like veteran, McCarthy will likely be safe, at least at the beginning of 2026. But if the Vikings were to sign Aaron Rodgers, for example, the Michigan product's days as the starter will be over, and we could even see a trade going down in that scenario that sends McCarthy packing. More NFL news Micker Adolfo Jersey