Days ago, the Minnesota Vikings reached an agreement to bring Carson Wentz back to the team. Kevin O’Connell, who knows the quarterback firsthand, understood it was the right place for him to return.
“We wanted to be patient and allow Carson to see what opportunities might be out there, but at the same time, Carson knew very on early in offseason, regardless what other moves or move we made in that room, that we wanted him back,” O’Connell said at the NFL owners meetings. “He loved being in Minnesota. He loves our fan base. He loves getting to wear the purple and gold.“
A shoulder injury brought Wentz’s 2025 season with the Vikings to an end. Despite that, he managed to complete 110-of-169 passes (65.1%) for 1,216 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions across five starts.
The veteran will be one of four members of a crowded QB room for Minnesota this season. Can Carson Wentz earn the starting job, or will he serve as the experienced primary backup for Kevin O’Connell?
Carson Wentz #11 of the Minnesota Vikings.
QBs must raise the level of the Vikings
The arrival of Kyler Murray and the previously mentioned return of Carson Wentz serve a clear purpose for Kevin O’Connell. The head coach believes this position must raise the bar for the rest of the team.
“We’ve played three guys in one year. We’ve played four in another. We just feel like having the ability to get quality quarterback play throughout the circumstances we do not control throughout the season gives our team pretty historic data that says if we get quarterback play to a certain line, we win a lot of football games,” he started.
“So we wanted to ensure we are able to do that, but also make it a very, very competitive room and that’s regardless of who’s taking reps with what group. We want the quarterback position to elevate our team, and with the talent we have around that position, we feel pretty good about it also working vice versa the other way around.”
Kyler Murray #1.
The Minnesota Vikings QB room
With a mix of experience and young talent, the Minnesota Vikings have an intriguing quarterback group to head into the 2026 NFL season:
- Kyler Murray
- Carson Wentz
- J.J. McCarthy
- Max Brosmer
Confirmed rivals for Minnesota
| HOME | AWAY |
| Chicago Bears | Chicago Bears |
| Green Bay Packers | Green Bay Packers |
| Detroit Lions | Detroit Lions |
| Atlanta Falcons | New Orleans Saints |
| Carolina Panthers | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Buffalo Bills | New York Jets |
| Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots |
| Washington Commanders | San Francisco 49ers |
| Indianapolis Colts |
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Building strength in the NFC North
The Minnesota Vikings enter the 2026 season looking to capitalize on the momentum of their 5-0 finish to last year. Despite a rocky 4-8 start, the team rallied to a 9–8 overall record, finishing with a strong 4–2 record within the NFC North.
While the division remains a “bloodbath” with the Bears and Packers as heavy favorites, the addition of key players provide a significant boost to an offense that struggled with inconsistency in 2025. If Brian Flores’ defense can maintain its top-10 form, Minnesota has a legitimate shot at unseating Chicago for the divisional crown.
