The Minnesota Vikings sit at the bottom of a competitive NFC North with a 4-6 record before getting set to play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
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Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy struggled for most of the team’s 19-17 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 11, though he did throw a touchdown pass that helped Minnesota take a brief 17-16 lead with under a minute to play. He finished 16-of-32 passing for 150 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against the Bears.
McCarthy, the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft, has thrown for 842 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions through his first five games played this season. He missed all of last season with a torn meniscus in his right knee and was out for five games due to a high-ankle sprain this season.
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Before the season, the Vikings added veteran quarterback Carson Wentz on a one-year deal to serve as an insurance option for McCarthy. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Minnesota is expected to try to acquire another veteran backup quarterback for 2026.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones is believed to be a person of interest for the Vikings.
“There’s already chatter in some circles that, in the 2026 offseason, the Vikings will explore trading for 49ers quarterback Mac Jones,” Florio wrote. “In March 2025, the 49ers wisely signed Jones, who has started eight games this season, to a two-year, $8.4 million contract. The Jones contract is an asset that can become a draft pick, or two, in 2026.”
Jones went 5-3 as the starter for the 49ers when Brock Purdy was sidelined with a toe injury. The No. 5 pick in the 2021 draft has thrown for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions this season.
There were questions about a possible quarterback controversy in San Francisco while Jones was playing well, though head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear Purdy was the undisputed starter.
Florio believes the 49ers might want to trade Jones in the offseason so there are no questions surrounding Purdy’s status with the team in 2026.
Former 49ers quarterbacks have done well after rehabilitating under Shanahan. Minnesota saw that firsthand with Sam Darnold in 2024. Jones could be the next former 49ers quarterback to lead the Vikings back to the playoffs.
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