The Minnesota Vikings current regime has proven itself uncommonly savvy with regards to personnel in the three years since taking the helm of the organization.
Minnesota kept Kirk Cousins in 2022 and made the playoffs, then moved on from him at the exact right time following his Achilles tendon tear the next season.
Absent that injury, the Vikings may have been a playoff team in all three of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s years as general manager and Kevin O’Connell’s three seasons as head coach. Minnesota came within one victory of the No. 1 seed in the NFC in 2024 and earned another postseason berth with QB Sam Darnold on a one-year, $10 million reclamation contract.
The organization finally entered an offseason with serious salary cap space this spring and may have built the best offensive line in the NFL with it, according to Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus.
But it is possible the brain trust in Minnesota’s front office and on its coaching staff is outsmarting itself heading into 2025 with second-year signal-caller J.J. McCarthy, who has never taken a regular-season snap, set to serve as QB1 as training camp approaches.
The Vikings, like most intelligent professional sports organizations, focus on (and tend to find) exceptional talent on good value. That is the premise behind McCarthy starting for the next three years at an annual average salary of $5.5 million.
Value at quarterback, typically the most expensive position on any roster, is an excellent way to build a championship team — but it’s unclear if McCarthy is exactly that. Another way to mine value under center is to take fliers on high-talent players who washed out with their initial teams and may simply require a change of scenery.
Minnesota should consider that possibility in the form of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Anthony Richardson on Cusp of Losing Colts Starting Job to Former Vikings QB Daniel Jones
Richardson, who just recently turned 23, is entering the third season of his four-year, $33.9 million rookie contract in 2025.
He is currently battling a shoulder injury and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk is among several prominent analysts who believe that setback may have already cost him the starting job in Indy, as former Vikings signal-caller Daniel Jones has put together a strong preseason to this point.
“It already feels like Jones will be the Week 1 starter,” Florio wrote on July 5.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report suggested on Thursday, July 10, that Richardson will fully achieve “bust” status should he lose his starting spot to Jones.
The Indianapolis Colts used the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft on quarterback Anthony Richardson, and they may already be prepared to turn the page on the Florida product.
Injuries and inconsistent passing performances have prevented Richardson from being a reliable full-time starter. Indy added Daniel Jones this offseason to push Richardson, but an offseason shoulder injury may have given Jones the edge to start.
Unless Richardson cleanly beats out Jones for the starting job and then makes a massive jump in efficiency (67.8 career QB rating), he’s likely to cement his bust status this season.
Anthony Richardson’s Relationships With Colts Fans, Head Coach Shane Steichen Already Strained
Considering the sheer size of the investment Indianapolis made in Richardson, the start of Year 3 feels a bit early to give up on the quarterback — particularly given his age.
But one must also consider the relationships between Richardson and head coach Shane Steichen as well as Richardson and Colts fans. Steichen benched the QB in favor of Joe Flacco for a multi-game stretch last year, and Richardson drew the ire of the fanbase for asking out of a game due to fatigue at one point in 2024.
Steichen had success as the offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles before landing with the Colts, but he and Richardson clearly haven’t meshed. O’Connell, on the other hand, shared a touching moment with Richardson last season, and analysts around the league generally hold O’Connell in even higher regard as a QB developer and offensive schemer than Steichen.
If the Colts bench Richardson again, the chapter of his career in Indianapolis likely closes alongside decision. But his elite and unteachable arm strength and mobility will find a home elsewhere for at least one more run, so why not Minnesota, particularly if a mid-round draft pick is all it takes to land a “bust” with a couple years left on his contract and a fifth-year team option available next spring to whichever franchise holds his contract rights?
Vikings May Need Upgrade Over Sam Howell at QB2 as Early as Week 1
Making a play for Richardson at a low-to-moderate cost would probably be the right decision even if Minnesota had a viable veteran backup quarterback behind McCarthy. That they maybe don’t is all the more reason for the franchise to consider the addition.
Sam Howell is the Vikings’ likely QB2 heading into training camp. He is well under .500 as an NFL starter and has a negative touchdown to interception ratio in 20 professional appearances. Beyond that, the depth chart is Brett Rypien and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer.
Minnesota could be a candidate for a veteran QB if Howell bombs out in camp, but if the Vikings truly believe in McCarthy, then why not use that money to take a flier on Richardson who could turn out a franchise quarterback under the guidance of O’Connell?
It’s something the Vikings should, and probably will, seriously consider if the Colts ultimately decide to move on.
