NFL free agency will get underway March 12 as the new league year gets underway. Teams can start talking to prospective free agents two days earlier during the legal tampering period. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold figures to be one of the most sought after free agents, and he could be headed towards a conversation with the Seattle Seahawks since that team traded quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Vikings would like J.J. McCarthy to become the starting quarterback, but could the Vikings have an interest in bringing Aaron Rodgers aboard?
Sources: With the #Seahawks targeting Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers – whom the #Giants have shown interest in – becomes a possibility for the #Vikings as well, as @MikeGarafolo also noted. pic.twitter.com/21LYj9GoMc
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 8, 2025
NFL insiders Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports and Mike Garofalo of the NFL Network both raised that possibility. The Vikings may need a backup who can man the QB position if McCarthy is not ready to take over and play on a regular basis. McCarthy was selected with the No. 10 pick in the first round of last year’s draft, but he suffered a torn meniscus in the team’s first preseason game last summer.
McCarthy was out for the rest of the year. He appears to be on schedule for the upcoming season, but if he suffers any kind of setback or struggles in his performance, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell may want to have an experienced quarterback who can man the position.
Since Darnold is likely to leave, the Vikings would have to look elsewhere. Former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is currently on the roster and could be an answer, but he will have an opportunity to pursue free agency.
Rodgers will be available in free agency
If the Vikings need a new backup quarterback, a marriage with Rodgers would seem to be a long shot. The 41-year-old former Packer and Jet has never indicated that he would be happy to be a No. 2 quarterback.
The Vikings would have to be convinced that Rodgers not only would take on that kind of role willingly, he would also have to take backup quarterback money. Neither of those scenarios seem likely based on Rodgers’ history.
However, the Vikings have a history of bringing in a legendary former Packer to play quarterback in the late stages of his career. Brett Favre played the last 2 seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Vikings in 2009 and 2010.
Favre led the Vikings to a 12-4 record in his first year with the team and was on the verge of winning the NFC Championship against the New Orleans Saints. However, a late Favre interception prevented the Vikings from attempting a game-winning field goal in the final seconds and the Saints would go on to win the game in overtime.
The post NFL rumors: Could Vikings target Aaron Rodgers after closing Sam Darnold door? appeared first on ClutchPoints.
