Earlier this week NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the Minnesota Vikings turned down multiple teams who called and expressed interest in second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Minnesota reportedly told these teams that it's moving forward with McCarthy as their top option.
With Sam Darnold leaving Minnesota and signing with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency and Daniel Jones leaving the Vikes for the Indianapolis Colts, the team is short-handed at quarterback beyond McCarthy. However, Minnesota's trying to change that by potentially adding former Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Per Fox Sports insider Jordan Schultz, the Vikings have had discussions with Tannehill while noting that nothing is imminent. Tannehill doesn't seem to be in a rush to pick his new destination, as the now 36-year-old QB wasn't even on an NFL team in 2024.
While Tannehill wouldn't be expected to start for the Vikings, adding him as a backup to McCarthy would likely serve McCarthy well. There are plenty of things McCarthy can learn from Tannehill, someone who has started 151 games in the NFL with an 81-70 record. 34,881 passing yards, 216 passing touchdowns and 115 interceptions.
The Vikings invested a lot in McCarthy, selecting the former Michigan Wolverines QB with pick No. 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft. Signing Tannehill would also be a way of investing in McCarthy. Tannehill doesn't just provide Joe Flacco-level upside as a backup, signing him would be like adding an extra quarterbacks coach.
Tannehill and McCarthy's skills even align. Former Michigan head coach and current Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh compared McCarthy to Tannehill back in 2021.
"He's grown in the area of being a 'steady Eddie' type player," Harbaugh said of McCarthy in '21. "Who wouldn't wanna be Ryan Tannehill?"
Tannehill's days of dominance may be gone but still can add value to any organization, and signing with Minnesota makes too much sense for both sides. Now it's only a matter of whether pen is put to paper and a contract is finalized.
