WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams should be paying attention to what is happening to a former assistant, as the franchise is in position to make two bold moves if they wish to do so over the next 12 months.
The Situation in Minnesota
CBS Sports’ John Breech states that he believes the Minnesota Vikings are one of several teams that could be interested in bringing in retired NFL quarterback Derek Carr for the 2025 season.
“The Vikings are currently in a nightmare situation at quarterback,” stated Breech. “They took at gamble at the position in 2024 and hit the jackpot, but then they threw all their money away in 2025. And of course, we’re talk about Sam Darnold here.”
Dec 15, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) after a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
“Darnold led Minnesota to a 14-3 record in 2024, but the Vikings got greedy and thought they could do better, so they let him walk in free agency and decided to roll the dice by going all in with J.J. McCarthy. In his first full year as a starter, McCarthy looked much closer to being a bust than someone who can eventually be Minnesota’s franchise quarterback.”
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) looks on after the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
“The Vikings have already proved they can win games with the right quarterback and Carr seems like the perfect veteran who could come in and help. The Vikings won nine games in 2025 with McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer all starting at least two games, and Carr seems like a step up from that combo.”
“If you give Carr the right weapons, he generally does pretty well, and the Vikings have some receiving weapons in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. Carr might have to compete with McCarthy for the job, but that’s likely a competition where he would be feeling pretty confident.”
How This Affects The Rams
The Vikings are a top organization, but ownership does have championship ambitions, and after the Mike Zimmer era came to a horrific end, they will not hesitate to move forward to their next era if Kevin O’Connell continues to regress.
Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
O’Connell’s failures often occur due to quarterback injuries, but O’Connell, the former Rams offensive coordinator, has put his quarterbacks in bad spots repeatedly with an overuse of the passing attack.
The Vikings already canned general manager Kwesi Adolfo-Mensah this offseason and both O’Connell and J.J. McCarthy could be right behind them if the Vikings are unable to find stability in 2026.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The fact that Carr is even being mentioned highlights an overarching issue and the Vikings will act before Justin Jefferson demands out.
So there’s three scenarios. Either the Vikings figure it out, for which the Rams don’t benefit at all, it doesn’t work out and the Rams are in position to grab both O’Connell and McCarthy in 2027, or things go so sideways, the Rams make a shocking move for Justin Jefferson.
No matter what, the Rams remain in control as Minnesota enters an era of uncertainty.
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