The Vikings expect to sign the former $128 million All-Pro quarterback as JJ McCarthy’s backup

No one really took Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings seriously after their 5-0 start to the season, but it’s time to fully embrace it.

The Vikings enter Thanksgiving weekend with a 9-2 record and Darnold ranks in the top 10 in QB rating (101.7) and top 5 in touchdown passes (21).

At this point, Minnesota should be mentioned as one of the top teams in the NFC with the Detroit Lions (10-1) and Philadelphia Eagles (9-2). As for Darnold? He is expected to leave the Twin Cities this offseason, with rookie JJ McCarthy in the starting lineup and likely set to land a lucrative, multi-year contract in free agency.

With that in mind, Kris Knox of Bleacher Report expects Minnesota to add a new, big-name veteran backup that you might not expect this March.

In his Week 13 NFC scouting reports, Knox expects the Vikings to sign former All-Pro quarterback Carson Wentz in a $128 million deal in 2025. Here’s his take on the potential move:

“Carson Wentz may seem like an odd candidate to fill this role, but there are a number of reasons why he would make sense. For one thing, he spent the 2022 season with Sean McVay and the Rams. Kevin O’Connell is a McVay student, so Wentz would likely enter the building with some familiarity with the system. Second, the soon-to-be 32-year-old shouldn’t pose a threat to McCarthy. He’s firmly in the backup phase of his career and can focus on teaching the young signal-caller – and he should have plenty to teach. Wentz was part of a team that won the Super Bowl in 2017, and he has spent the last two years supporting Matthew Stafford and Patrick Mahomes.”

Wentz would be an interesting option for Minnesota, which will aggressively search for a legitimate replacement for McCarthy this offseason. The Vikings currently have no other quarterbacks under contract beyond 2024, and Darnold’s rising price makes it necessary to bring in a player like Wentz – or former New York Giants QB Daniel Jones? — a nearby lock.

What might make Wentz more attractive than Jones is his contract, which was near the veteran minimum for the Kansas City Chiefs this season. The Vikings are projected to have the sixth-most cap space in the NFL in 2025, and signing Wentz to a cheap, short-term contract would allow GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to free up key pending free agents like safety Camryn Bynum and Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr.

The downside? Wentz has largely been a disaster since moving from Philadelphia to Indianapolis in 2021. He has since moved to Washington, the Los Angeles Rams and finally Kansas City. Minnesota would mark its sixth different finish in as many years. Darnold had a similar NFL journey, but it’s rare for lightning to strike twice.

The verdict here feels like an acquittal. Adding Wentz could provide some salary cap benefits, but the Vikings will be looking for a player closer to Darnold in 2024, or even Jones starting in 2025: a veteran who could potentially salvage the season if he is requested to do so. At this point in his career, Wentz’s status as a potential savior is a serious question mark.

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