Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks

If there’s a down time in the NFL, it’s the weeks between the end of offseason workouts and training camp. To pass some of that time, I’m ranking the ten best players at each position in the franchise history of the Minnesota Vikings. Up first is the quarterbacks. Everything in football starts with the quarterbacks.

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks

1. Fran Tarkenton

Even though Norm Van Brocklin was reluctant to start him, Fran Tarkenton was the first quarterback in Minnesota Vikings franchise history. He’s also, easily, the best quarterback in franchise history. The Vikings have been trying to find their next franchise quarterback since his 1978 retirement. Tarkenton has a bust in Canton. At the time of his retirement, he held every career passing record. He held those records longer than any quarterback ever has. 

2. Tommy Kramer

3. Daunte Culpepper

4. Kirk Cousins

While the #1 quarterback in Vikings franchise history is easy. #2 isn’t easy. In my opinion, there are three contenders. Tommy Kramer was selected in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft to be the next franchise quarterback. He had the talent to be the next one. There were many moments during his 13 years in Minnesota in which he looked the part. Unfortunately, his career was peppered with a variety of injuries. He played every game in a season only twice in those 13 years. One of those was the strike-shortened 1982 season. He made one Pro Bowl. Daunte Culpepper and Kirk Cousins each played for the Vikings half as long as Kramer but had more productive seasons. Culpepper edges Cousins in this ranking mostly for his MVP-level 2004 season. Both Culpepper and Cousins ended their Vikings career with season-ending injuries. Culpepper’s injury essentially ended his career. 

5. Joe Kapp

Joe Kapp only played three seasons for the Vikings but he was the quarterback and fiery leader as the team moved from hapless expansion team to one of the best teams in the league. He guided the Vikings to their first Super Bowl. To get to Super Bowl IV, the Vikings won the 1969 NFL Championship. That’s something.

6. Warren Moon

Warren Moon only played 2.5 seasons for the Vikings. They were his age 38 - 40 seasons. He may have been at the end of his brilliant Hall of Fame career but he was excellent in those 2.5 seasons. He and Cris Carter were a blast to watch together. Few quarterbacks have ever thrown a prettier pass.

7. Brett Favre

Brett Favre holds the seventh spot of this ranking for his terrific 2009 season. It was arguably the best year of his long Hall of Fame career. That season should’ve ended with a Super Bowl win. 

8. Randall Cunningham 

As with Brett Favre, Randall Cunningham makes this ranking for his outstanding 1998 season. Also like Favre, that season also should’ve ended with a Super Bowl win.

9. Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson was supposed to be the Vikings starter in 1998. An injury opened the door for Randall Cunningham. Johnson’s Vikings story is one of what might’ve been. It’s difficult to imagine the season going better with Johnson rather than Cunningham but the former had the starting quarterback job entering the season for a reason. With Cris Carter, Randy Moss, and Jake Reed catching passes and Robert Smith and Leroy Hoard running, nearly any quarterback would shine. 

10. Teddy Bridgewater

What if Tommy Kramer’s career hadn’t been taken apart by injuries? What if the Vikings had been able to draft Bernie Kosar? What if the Vikings hadn’t bailed on Rich Gannon so early? What if Daunte Culpepper’s career hadn’t been ruined by that knee injury? There are a lot of “what if’s” regarding the quarterback position in Vikings franchise history. Teddy Bridgewater is another. The Vikings and Bridgewater were on the rise when his knee exploded just before the start of the 2016 season. Ultimately, the injury didn’t end his career but it was the beginning of the end of his Vikings career. We’ll never know if Bridgewater would’ve hit the high hopes that I had for him. 

Up Next: The Running Backs. 

Top Vikings Training Camp Topics

My top Minnesota Vikings training camp topics will probably change often over the next six-plus weeks. The following are my current top topics.

Top Minnesota Vikings Training Camp Topics

1. The Quarterback Competition

Of course, it starts with the quarterback competition between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray. Personally, I don’t really care who wins the starting job. When the Vikings have even average quarterback play they can win with the playmakers that surround that average quarterback. Few teams in the league can match this playmaking group.

Receivers:

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

T.J. Hockenson

Josh Oliver

Runners:

Aaron Jones

Jordan Mason

Demond Claiborne

Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings are the best receiving trio in the league. T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver are a nice tight end duo. With an improved run scheme, a solid offensive line, and a diverse running back committee, the Vikings pass game and run game might finally complement each other well.  

It really doesn’t matter whether the Vikings quarterback is J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray. Either will flourish in this offense. I have two hopes for this Vikings quarterback training camp competition. The first hope is that the coverage of the competition doesn’t focus on the drama bullshit between the two quarterbacks. The second hope is that the quarterback that is named QB2 isn’t a baby about it. If two of the last three seasons has shown anything, there’s a chance that all three quarterbacks on the active roster will be needed. 

2. The Offensive Line

The starting offensive line projects as a strong group. The question of that group is center Blake Brandel. Through five years with the Vikings, he’s pretty much covered every offensive line position but center. He’s had 31 starts. 17 of those starts were at left guard in 2024. Injuries forced Brandel to play center for the first time in his football life last season. He did alright. He did alright enough that it’s believed by all those that matter that he can hand handle the full-time center job this season. Despite playing his college days at Oregon State, Brandel is a bright guy. I believe that he’ll be at least as good as Garrett Bradbury-good. My hope is that he’s much better. He is the biggest question on what could be a very good offensive line. 

3. The Defensive Line

Before the 2026 NFL Draft, I felt the Vikings had a very curious defensive line group with intriguing potential. It was a curious group because all of the returning players were late-round or no-round picks. 

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez 

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Elijah Williams

Taki Taimani

Jalen Redmond broke out last season as an emerging star. As a 2025 fifth-round pick, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is the highest drafted of the group. He’s spent some offseason time with the outside linebackers. He might spend his hopefully long Vikings career spending time both on the line and on the edge. I believe that Elijah Williams has the talent to break out this season like Redmond did last season. That’s the pre-draft group. The Vikings had a clear defensive line focus in the draft. Caleb Banks was selected in the first round. Domonique Orange was selected in the third round. The Vikings have the makings of a deep and dominant defensive front. For three seasons, defensive coordinator Brian Flores has manufactured pressure through scheme. He might finally have a Vikings defensive line group that can pressure with dominating talent. I can not wait to see this group on the field. 

4. Outside Linebackers

I wasn’t a fan of trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles during the draft. I didn’t like it but I get it. Dallas Turner is ready for a full-time role. He and Andrew Van Ginkel will be a terrific edge duo. Behind the two, there’s no proven depth. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is working with the outside linebackers. He’s an intriguing edge option. Jake Golday may have been selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft as an eventual heir to Van Ginkel’s versatile role. Golday is learning both on- and off-ball linebacker roles. In a Brian Flores defense, that’s a lot to learn. Other than the potential supplemental involvement of Ingram-Dawkins and Golday, Van Ginkel and Turner are backed up by undrafted Tyler Batty, Bo Richter, Chaz Chambliss, Cam’Ron Stewart, and Arden Walker. Outside linebacker is probably the position most in need of a veteran addition between now and training camp. 

5. Cornerback

Other than Kyler Murray, it’s always about the quarterback, the biggest Vikings free agent addition is James Pierre. He might be one of the best under-the-radar additions across the league. I can’t wait to see the cornerback trio of Pierre with Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. I’ve often wondered if Brian Flores played three safeties as a nickel preference or if he did so because he didn’t have three corners he trusted. With Pierre, we might finally see the Vikings defense that Flores has in his head. Not only is the group topped by a nice trio, Chuck Demmings was added in the draft. I have a feeling that Demmings is taking the first steps toward a brilliant Vikings career. 

6. Safeties

When does Harrison Smith announce his return for a 15th season. 

I like this potential safety group.

Joshua Metellus

Theo Jackson

Jay Ward

Jakobe Thomas

Tavierre Thomas

I like this one even more.

Harrison Smith

Joshua Metellus

Theo Jackson

Jay Ward

Jakobe Thomas

Like Chuck Demmings, I believe that Jakobe Thomas is going to be an impact player. The pair could soon be franchise cornerstones in the Vikings secondary. 

For now, those are my top Minnesota Vikings training camp topics. 

Some Of The Best Remaining Free Agents

The time between offseason workouts and training camp can be time for teams to make roster tweaks. Perhaps those offseason workouts revealed some positions that could use a veteran upgrade. Here are some of the best free agents that are still available about a month before teams start reporting for the start of training camp.

1.   Taylor Decker, OT

2.   Deebo Samuel, WR

3.   Joey Bosa, Edge

4.   Jadeveon Clowney, Edge

5.   Jonah Williams, OT

6.   Haason Reddick, Edge

7.   Kenny Moore, CB

8.   Stefon Diggs, WR

9.   Jack Conklin, OT

10. Jonnu Smith, TE

11. Mekhi Becton, OL

12. Leonard Floyd, Edge

13. Darren Waller, TE

14. Trevon Diggs, CB

15. Tyreek Hill, WR

16. James Daniels, G

17. Kevin Zeitler, G

18. David Onyemata, DL

19. Marshon Lattimore

20. Yetur Gross-Matos, DL

21. Larry Ogunjobi, DL

22. Graham Glasgow, C

23. Matt Milano, LB

24. Ethan Pocic, C

25. Daniel Carlson, K

This list of some of the best remaining free agents is made up mostly of players nearing the end of their careers. Five or so years ago, most would be targets during the tampering window. They certainly wouldn’t be unsigned in June. Now they are and they could be a nice addition for some team. 

The player on this list I’ve been eyeing for the Minnesota Vikings is Jadeveon Clowney. When Jonathan Greenard was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles during the draft, it opened up a need for a veteran edge player. Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner are a strong starting duo but the depth is suspect. Second-round pick Jake Golday has a lot on his plate as he’s learning off-ball linebacker as well as edge. Expecting heavy edge minutes as a rookie might be a bit much. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins played on the interior as a rookie last season. He’s been working with the edge this spring. He’s an intriguing option. After that, the depth is mostly a collection of undrafted players in Tyler Batty, Bo Richter, and Chaz Chambliss. Clowney could be a nice addition to the Vikings edge room. 

Unsigned Draft Picks: By Round

The signing of the players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft is zipping along. The two quarterbacks continue to be the only unsigned players from the first round. The puzzle of this year’s draft pick signing process is the top of the third round. Here’s a look at the unsigned draft pick status for each of the seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. The first round, of course, is shown in detail.

Unsigned Draft Picks: By Round

First Round

1.   Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana 

2.   New York Jets: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech - Signed

3.   Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame - Signed

4.   Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State - Signed

5.   New York Giants: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State - Signed

6.   Kansas City Chiefs: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU - Signed

7.   Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State - Signed

8.   New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State - Signed

9.   Cleveland Browns: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah - Signed

10. New York Giants: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami - Signed

11. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State - Signed

12. Miami Dolphins: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama - Signed

13. Los Angeles Rams: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State - Signed

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami - Signed

16. New York Jets: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon - Signed

17. Detroit Lions: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson - Signed 

18. Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida - Signed

19. Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia - Signed

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Makai Lemon, WR, USC - Signed

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State - Signed

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami - Signed

23. Dallas Cowboys: Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF - Signed

24. Cleveland Browns: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M - Signed

25. Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon - Signed

26. Houston Texans: Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech - Signed

27. Miami Dolphins: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State - Signed

28. New England Patriots: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah - Signed

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson - Signed

30. New York Jets: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana - Signed

31. Tennessee Titans: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn - Signed

32. Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame - Signed

2/32 players are unsigned.

Second Round

23. New England Patriots: Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois

1/32 players are unsigned.

Only three unsigned players from the first two rounds. That’s pretty good. It’s the next two rounds that surprise. 

Third Round

1.   Arizona Cardinals: Carson Beck, QB, Miami

2.   Denver Broncos: Tyler Onyedim, DT, Texas A&M

3.   Las Vegas Raiders: Keyron Crawford, Edge, Auburn

4.   Philadelphia Eagles: Markel Bell, OT, Miami

5.   Chicago Bears: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford

6.   San Francisco 49ers: Romello Height, Edge, Texas Tech

12. Pittsburgh Steelers: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

7/36 players are unsigned. 

Fourth Round

1.   Las Vegas Raiders: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

4.   Arizona Cardinals: Kaleb Proctor, DL, Southeastern Louisiana

6.   Houston Texans: Febechi Nwaiwu, G, Oklahoma

7.   San Francisco 49ers: Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma

4/40 players are unsigned.

Fifth Round

0/41 players are unsigned.

Sixth Round

0/35 players are unsigned. 

Seventh Round

0/41 players are unsigned. 

14/257 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft are unsigned. 

Half of the unsigned players were selected at the top of the third round. 

Minnesota Vikings 91-Man Roster

The Minnesota Vikings made a couple more tweaks to the roster. 

Signed:

Marshall Lang, TE

Jahvaree Ritzie, DL

Waived:

Caleb Etienne, OT

Monkell Goodwine, DL

Once again, new Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley has added a player familiar to him. He was the assistant general manager in Seattle when the Seahawks signed Marshall Lang after he went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. He had practice squad stints with the Seahawks and New England Patriots last season. After the season, Lang signed a futures contract with the Patriots in February and was released in April. 

Jahvaree Ritzie also went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. He signed with New England Patriots after the draft. He was released from the practice squad in September. He signed a futures contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers in January and was released in May. 

The Vikings currently have 91 players on the roster. Undrafted rookie punter Brett Thorson is one of those players. He’s from Australia and is part of International Pathways Program. As such, he doesn’t count towards the 90 - man roster limit. So, when Harrison Smith returns for his 15th season, the Vikings will have to make another tweak to the roster. 

Minnesota Vikings Post-Draft Roster (91)

Offense (45)

Quarterbacks (4)

Kyler Murray

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Running Backs (6)

Aaron Jones

Jordan Mason

Zavier Scott

Demond Claiborne

Max Bredeson - fullback

Kejon Owens

Receivers (13)

Justin Jefferson

Jordan Addison

Jauan Jennings

Tai Felton

Myles Price

Jeshaun Jones

Dontae Fleming

Dillon Bell

Marcus Sanders Jr.

Luke Wysong 

Terrill Davis

Michael Briscoe

Trayvon Rudolph

Tight Ends (6)

T.J. Hockenson

Josh Oliver

Gavin Bartholomew

Ben Yurosek

Bryson Nesbit

Marshall Lang

Tackles (6)

Christian Darrisaw

Brian O’Neill

Ryan Van Demark

Walter Rouse

Caleb Tiernan

Triston Leigh

Guards (5)

Donovan Jackson

Will Fries

Joe Huber

Henry Byrd

Tomas Rimac

Centers (5)

Blake Brandel

Michael Jurgens

Vershon Lee

Gavin Gerhardt

Delby Lemieux

Defense (42)

Defensive Line (11)

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Elijah Williams

Taki Taimani

Caleb Banks

Domonique Orange

Eric Johnson II

Isaiahh Loudermilk

Smith Vilbert

Jahrvee Ritzie

Outside Linebackers (7)

Andrew Van Ginkel

Dallas Turner

Bo Richter

Tyler Batty

Chaz Chambliss

Cam’Ron Stewart

Arden Walker 

Inside Linebackers (8)

Blake Cashman

Eric Wilson

Ivan Pace Jr.

Josh Ross

Jacob Roberts

Jake Golday

Keli Lawson

Bangally Kamara

Cornerbacks (9)

Byron Murphy Jr.

Isaiah Rodgers

James Pierre

Zemaiah Vaughn

Dwight McGlothern

Chuck Demmings

Marcus Allen

Da’Veawn Armstead

Tyreek Chappell

Safeties (7)

Joshua Metellus

Theo Jackson

Jay Ward

Tavierre Thomas

Kahlef Hailassie 

Jakobe Thomas

Jacob Thomas

Special Teams (4)

Kicker

Will Reichard

Punter

Johnny Hekker

Brett Thorson

Long Snapper

Andrew DePaola

More Front Office Additions

New Minnesota Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley made a couple more additions to his front office. One addition is quite familiar as Ryan Pace is returning to the NFC North. He was the general manager of the Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2021. The reports have Pace joining the Vikings with the nebulous title of football adviser. We’ll have to see what that entails. The second addition is more intriguing as Teasley again reached into the Seattle Seahawks front office that he just left. Azzaam Kapadia was last listed with the Seahawks as a pro scout. He’d been with the team for three seasons so Teasley worked with him for three seasons. Kapadia’s football path stands out as remarkably brief, so far, and fascinating. Every person with a career in football has a story. For some, it just happens because the game was always there for them. For others, they have to bust their ass to force their way into an opportunity for a shot. If they get that shot, then they have to take advantage of it. Azzaam Kapadia is the latter. 

Purple Daily’s Thor Nystrom posted an intriguing timeline of Azzaam Kapadia’s path to the Vikings.

As a student at the University of Virginia, Azzaam Kapadia hounded the football office for a year to get a volunteer scout role. He persistence paid off as he earned a scouting role under head coach Bronco Mendenhall. He got the job by breaking down the high school film of receiver Dontayvion Wicks. When Mendenhall departed, Kapadia was the lone holdover. He earned a promotion when new head coach Tony Elliott discovered him watching film in an otherwise empty building. This was 2021, going into 2022. Kapadia was hired as a Seahawks scouting assistant after his graduation from Virginia in 2023. In just three years, he’s had a growing role in the Seattle draft and pro evaluation process. Kapadia is a film junky. He’s described as curious, and no-stone-left-unturned thorough. Just three years ago, he was making his way as a football slappy at the University of Virginia. Now, he’s assistant director of pro scouting for the Minnesota Vikings.

So, the Vikings are collecting former NFL GMs named Ryan. Former Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson had been an assistant general manager for the Vikings since 2022. Reports have him staying with a different title and perhaps different responsibilities. If you ask Colts fans, they won’t have a lot of great things to say about Grigson, If asked, almost universally they’d rather see him employed by the Vikings than the Colts. Ryan Pace has a similar reputation with fans of the Chicago Bears. It can be a good thing to have former GMs on staff with a suspect history of decisions. Grigson and Pace are in Minnesota to assist Nolan Teasley. They aren’t in Minnesota to run things. We won’t know for a few years but Teasley is putting together an intriguing combination of evaluation and experience in his front office. 

There Will Be A Supplemental Draft

The too long, too stupid saga of Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is finally over. Yesterday, it was reported that he plans to apply for the NFL’s Supplemental Draft. After placing over 9,000 bets on college and pro sports, some placed on his own teams, over four years, the NCAA had terminated his eligibility. He didn’t like that so he appealed the decision in federal court. Last week, somehow, an actual judge ignored all that was obvious and granted a preliminary injunction that prevented the NCAA from ending the eligibility of a player that had clearly broken the rules so many times. It was an astonishing decision that threw college football, common sense, and the law into chaos. Sorsby’s flip to entering the Supplemental Draft came on a day that included a flurry of legal activity. The Big 12 filed for a federal injunction for the right to potentially discipline Sorsby under its rules. The NCAA asked an appeals court for an expedited resolution to the local case, requesting a decision on Sorsby’s eligibility to be made by the start of the football season. All of that legal action faded away after the quarterback’s change of mind. This whole ordeal was so ludicrous. You can’t bet on the sport you play! He placed 9,000 bets! Sorsby broke a clearly stated rule so many times. It was unbelievable that he even tried to fight the much-deserved punishment. It’s over now. Entering the Supplemental Draft was always the best option. Realizing a lifelong dream of playing in the NFL is a cushy Plan B after losing your college eligibility. 

The Supplemental Draft. It’s a thing. 

For those that are a little rusty on some of the particulars of the NFL's Supplemental Draft here's some help from The Athletic:

What is the supplemental draft?

The supplemental draft, which is held each summer, was installed in 1977 as an option for draft-eligible players who did not declare for the regular NFL Draft. Normally, players who declare for the supplemental draft do so because of unexpected eligibility issues in college (academic or discipline).

The most noteworthy players who entered the NFL via the supplemental draft include Bernie Kosar (1985), Cris Carter (1987) and, most recently, Josh Gordon (2012). Since 1977, 45 players have been selected in the supplemental draft.

The draft order for the supplemental draft is determined via a lottery system based on last season’s win-loss records. The draft order is divided into three groups: 1) teams with six or fewer wins 2) the rest of the non-playoff teams and 3) the 12 playoff teams. The order of each group is randomly selected. If a team is interested in drafting a prospect, they place a bid on that player in a certain round. If multiple teams submit bids on a player in the same round, the team picking first in the order is awarded the player.

Once a team drafts a player in the supplemental draft, it must forfeit its pick in that round in the following NFL Draft.

It’s been a while since the Supplemental Draft included a player with legitimate NFL potential. Current Dallas Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2019 Supplemental Draft. Before that, you’d have to go back to the Cleveland Browns selecting receiver Josh Gordon in the second round of the 2012 Supplemental Draft. Brendan Sorsby will be drafted. How high will he be drafted? Some talent evaluators have said that he would’ve challenged Ty Simpson for QB2 in last April’s “regular” draft. A strong season at Texas Tech this fall and Sorsby would’ve been in the first-round mix of a strong quarterback draft in next April’s regular draft. Even if his off-field issues knock him a bit, Sorsby should get claimed in the second round. I wouldn’t be all that surprised if a team positioned late in the first round throws in a claim. The Los Angeles Rams could easily have been that team if they hadn’t taken Simpson. Wait! Scratch that. They don’t have a 2027 first-round pick. Thanks to the Brendan Sorsby saga, the 2026 Supplemental Draft will be a thing.