The Minnesota Vikings are still in search of a veteran quarterback to back up J.J. McCarthy, but speculation about Aaron Rodgers has subsided. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on March 19, the Vikings intend to sign a veteran quarterback but are not currently pursuing Rodgers. As of Wednesday afternoon, the team still has a vacancy at the position, partly because their initial target, Daniel Jones, declined their offer.
Jones, who finished last season with the Vikings, ultimately chose a one-year, $14 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Speaking on KFAN-FM 100.3’s Power Trip Morning Show, Pelissero explained that the Vikings withdrew their offer after sensing Jones wasn’t fully committed. While Rodgers was an option after Jones signed elsewhere, he prefers to start rather than mentor a young quarterback.
This has left the Vikings exploring alternative options, though Pelissero noted that they were never seriously considering most of the available free agents. Outside of Sam Darnold and Jones, he doesn’t believe the team was targeting any of the other quarterbacks who have already signed. He also expressed uncertainty about whether any of the remaining free agents fit into Minnesota’s plans, suggesting the team might explore other avenues to address the position.