Minnesota Vikings options at quarterback continue to dwindle due to factors out of their control
The Miami Dolphins hiring Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley could lead to one less quarterback on the market for the Minnesota Vikings.
The season-ending press conference for the Minnesota Vikings revealed that they were going to have a quarterback competition. Head coach Kevin O’Connell was very clear about wanting competition in the room with starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
“I absolutely want a competitive situation,” said O’Connell. “Obviously, J.J. [McCarthy] is going to be a major, major emphasis for our staff and our team and me personally, and we’ll figure out what that looks like as we navigate the early part of this offseason when it comes to managing the roster.
“I think ultimately, we’ve got to decide how to not only continue J.J.’s progression, allow him to continue to ascend as a young player, 22 years old with 10 starts, but at the same time, like I said, I think the competition in that room will only enhance our entire team.”
Miami Dolphins hiring Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley could hinder Minnesota Vikings
The biggest duo hired during this cycle belongs to the Miami Dolphins. They hired Jon-Eric Sullivan to be their general manager and Jeff Hafley to be their head coach, both of whom came from the Green Bay Packers.
The duo going together is a positive for the Dolphins, as they theoretically will have some continuity that wouldn’t otherwise exist for a new head coach or general manager. That continuity could end up hindering the Vikings.
The biggest question for the Dolphins this offseason is their quarterback position. Tua Tagovailoa has likely played his last snap with the team, and there are limited resources for them to replace him. There is a very interesting option available for the Dolphins: Packers quarterback Malik Willis.
He was with the Packers for the past two seasons, including starting multiple games for them when Jordan Love was injured. His success was a key factor in the Packers making the playoffs in 2024, and he played well during his limited action in 2025. Having a quarterback you already know is a step up over an unknown.
It would also take one more quarterback off the market, just like the Atlanta Falcons hiring Kevin Stefanski could prevent Kirk Cousins from becoming available. The more quarterbacks get linked to other teams, the fewer options the Vikings have. It will also make the prices of the quarterbacks rise, which will continue to complicate things for the Vikings with their salary cap space.
Things aren’t doom and gloom for the Vikings, but the more links quarterbacks have to new coaching candidates, the worse things could get.
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