While there’s no longer much debate over who will enter Minnesota’s organized offseason workouts as QB1, who the Vikings ultimately bring in to pair with former No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy continues to be a major topic of discussion. The free agent QB carousel continues to spin, with Aaron Rodgers tracking towards Pittsburgh and Jameis Winston landing with the New York Giants.
OX Sports insider Jordan Schultz recently linked the Vikings to a somewhat forgotten veteran option in former Dolphins and Titans QB Ryan Tannehill, who sat out the 2024 season after going unsigned during last year’s free agent signing period. Per Schultz, talks between the Vikings and Tennehill’s camp “are ongoing and nothing is imminent as of right now.”
As a result, Minnesota’s options are beginning to dry up. Some journeyman vets, like Joe Flacco, could be an option for the team. You also can’t yet rule out a potential reunion with Kirk Cousins, if the Atlanta Falcons fail to find a trade suitor closer to draft weekend (April 24-26).
Minnesota would be a curious landing spot for Tannehill, who’s about to turn 37 and hasn’t taken an NFL snap since Week 18 of the 2023 season. He was also extremely candid with reporters after his former team, the Titans, drafted his potential replacement in Will Levis, saying then: “I don’t think it’s my job to mentor him.” That’s a potential red flag, considering the Vikings will be handing the reins to the 22-year-old McCarthy this year and presumably want to sign a veteran who can help show him the ropes of being an NFL QB.
Tannehill does have some perspective. He’s a former first-round pick who played in the league for 11 years. He made his lone Pro Bowl in 2019, when he was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year. He was able to parlay that season into a four-year, $118 million contract extension with the Titans in 2020.
Schultz reported that “nothing is imminent,” which has been Minnesota’s approach to its backup QB position since the start of the new league year. After losing Daniel Jones to the Indianapolis Colts, it would not be a surprise to see the team wait it out until after the draft and weigh all options.
Guys like Winston or Gardner Minshew would have been a lot of fun, but they’re now off the market. The team appears to be doing its due diligence on Tannehill, and hopefully that’s all it is. This would be an odd signing for a lot of reasons, especially with better options like Flacco, Russell Wilson and potentially Cousins still on the table.
Minnesota would be a curious landing spot for Tannehill, who’s about to turn 37 and hasn’t taken an NFL snap since Week 18 of the 2023 season. He was also extremely candid with reporters after his former team, the Titans, drafted his potential replacement in Will Levis, saying then: “I don’t think it’s my job to mentor him.” That’s a potential red flag, considering the Vikings will be handing the reins to the 22-year-old McCarthy this year and presumably want to sign a veteran who can help show him the ropes of being an NFL QB.
Tannehill does have some perspective. He’s a former first-round pick who played in the league for 11 years. He made his lone Pro Bowl in 2019, when he was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year. He was able to parlay that season into a four-year, $118 million contract extension with the Titans in 2020.
Schultz reported that “nothing is imminent,” which has been Minnesota’s approach to its backup QB position since the start of the new league year. After losing Daniel Jones to the Indianapolis Colts, it would not be a surprise to see the team wait it out until after the draft and weigh all options.
Guys like Winston or Gardner Minshew would have been a lot of fun, but they’re now off the market. The team appears to be doing its due diligence on Tannehill, and hopefully that’s all it is. This would be an odd signing for a lot of reasons, especially with better options like Flacco, Russell Wilson and potentially Cousins still on the table.