The Minnesota Vikings could see some changes in the quarterback room during free agency. Free agency is almost upon the NFL, and a big shake-up is coming for several franchises. While some will lose players, others will take a sneak peek into the market and try to find the missing piece in their team. The former Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter has two names in mind that could potentially replace J.J. McCarthy when March 11 hits.

“There’s gonna be some quarterback action,” said Cris Carter via the Fully Loaded podcast on Instagram. “You’re gonna see Tua, you’re gonna see Kyler Murray.”

Unable to control his curiosity, the host interrupted him by asking, “Who wants them?”

“Teams in worse situation than Arizona,” replied Carter. “Look at the Jets. The Jets still need a quarterback. Pittsburgh still needs a quarterback… What if Minnesota? They bring in some competition in for J.J. McCarthy. So what typically happens, either they get traded, disgruntled. They know the salary cap thing doesn’t work. So for me, one of these quarterbacks is gonna be, kinda lead free agency.”

Despite the head coach letting Sam Darnold go and putting his faith in McCarthy, the quarterback did not leave a great impression. Besides form, injuries are also an issue. He missed his rookie season due to a torn meniscus.

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Similarly, he missed half of the 2025 season because of injuries. So, having a change of quarterback may not be a bad decision for head coach Kevin O’Connell, as he had himself opened up on his quarterback ambitions back in January.

“Ultimately, I think in the quarterback room, it’s about having just the deepest, [most] talented room you possibly can, every single year. What that looks like at a pretty impactful position on your salary cap, when you’re able to possibly plan for your depth chart looking in a way where you can be competitive no matter what.”

As Carter mentioned, right now, those options are Dolphins‘ Tua Tagovailoa and Cardinals‘ Kyler Murray as potential replacements for McCarthy.

Murray has played in five games this season, with a 68% pass completion rate and six touchdowns. Despite playing fewer games, he has a passing rate of 88.6. The two-times Pro Bowler is an experienced quarterback and knows what it is like to play in the playoffs.

The same goes for Tua, who has 20 touchdowns to his name and a 37.5 QBR. Neither of the two franchises has performed well, missing out on the postseason.

Both of their contracts run till 2028, and trade is the only possible way for the Vikings to get them. Moreover, with them being well over the cap, there is nothing much they can do in this regard. As for McCarthy, it is not only Carter, but his former teammate also called out the quarterback.

John Randle warns J.J. McCarthy ahead of next season

McCarthy’s performance has raised several eyebrows. While Carter has spoken out straight away on the quarterback’s replacement, Pro Football Hall of Fame John Randle believes otherwise. He is still keeping his faith in him, but is not ready to view McCarthy as a long-term solution.

“If I was the GM, I would definitely give him competition,” said John Randle on the Purple Daily podcast via YouTube. “I’m bringing in competition for him. I would tell him, ‘Last year, you had your chance. We gave it to you. But you didn’t prove that you could really handle it, so we’re gonna bring somebody in who’s definitely gonna give you competition.’”

In 10 games, he has less than 60% pass completion rate, and his interceptions (12) exceed touchdown passes (11). On top of that, he was sacked 27 times. Against the Falcons in Week 2, he was sacked 6 times and threw two interceptions. Somewhere down the line, a dismal 4th-place finish in the NFC North leaves more questions than answers.

Surprisingly, when he was injured last season, they made the playoffs. Darnold led the offense, winning 14 games, compared to this season’s 9. Also, McCarthy’s contract runs till 2028. If things do not improve, the end of his rookie contract could be the end of his time in Minnesota.

Former tight end Kyle Rudolph believes the franchise should bring in a competition for the Rose Bowl Offensive MVP. Someone like Aaron Rodgers could give him a fight for QB1, bringing the best out of him. With suggestions flying from all corners, it may not be long before the Vikings address the McCarthy issue. It will be interesting to see which way the wind shifts for the quarterback.