GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Minnesota Vikings have aced the 2025 offseason so far, adding a wealth of veteran talent to the roster while strategically planning to land a pair of high-value compensatory picks for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Next up will be the always anticipated 2025 draft, which arrives April 24-26, and Minnesota’s much-ballyhooed decision at backup quarterback, a signing that’s expected to come after the draft (when free agent signings no longer count against the NFL’s comp pick formula).
Minnesota’s patient approach to bringing in a backup for J.J. McCarthy has led to slim pickings on the free agent market. Adofo-Mensah addressed the reports surrounding Aaron Rodgers, who can now be eliminated from the discussion unless McCarthy suffers an injury setback this season. At this point, the names we’re seriously discussing are the likes of Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz, or potential reunions with Teddy Bridgewater or Case Keenum.
NFL analyst Jeff Diamond recently proposed a solution for Minnesota’s QB dilemma, and his take is worth considering as a former general manager of the Vikings and team president of the Tennessee Titans. Now doing analysis for the 33rd Team, Diamond predicts the Vikings will sign former Miami Dolphins and Titans starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill:
Tannehill has talked with the Vikings about the possibility of signing with them. It sounds like he wants to play again, and he should look at the Vikings as a great potential destination for his career re-launch. I think it will happen as he sees an opportunity to play with a playoff team with an unproven quarterback coming off a major injury in McCarthy. The Vikings have $24.2 million in cap room and probably want to sign Tannehill on a deal similar to Darnold’s last year, which was for one year and $10 million (plus the Vikings would offer lucrative incentives if Tannehill becomes the starter).
In an offseason that’s included plenty of quarterback buzz in Minnesota, from McCarthy’s comeback from meniscus surgery, to Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones, to potentially considering Rodgers, the Vikings ending up with the 36-year-old Tannehill would be a hold-your-nose resolution for Vikes fans.
Yes, Tannehill had some productive NFL seasons as a starter, but that was half a decade ago. His production tanked after signing a $118 million contract with the Titans in 2020. In his final two seasons in Tennessee, he combined for 17 total touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 22 games. Health definitely played a part in Tannehill sitting out the 2024 season as an unsigned free agent, but there’s also the elephant in the room: He’s mostly washed up after 11 seasons in the league.
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The Vikings want to bring in some veteran competition and potential injury insurance for McCarthy, but the best options are now. long gone. Based on who’s still available, a player like Flacco would fit the team’s need at QB2 to a tee. Flacco’s been around, won a Super Bowl, has been a backup for multiple teams and has stepped in as a capable starter when needed.
Diamond projected a one-year deal in the range of $10 million for Tannehill. Flacco would cost substantially less, seeing he signed with the Colts last year for $4.5 million. Flacco is potentially cheaper, more accomplished, and frankly a better option all-round than Tannehill, but due to motivations surrounding the comp pick formula, debates like this will rage on for at least another month.
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