The new NFL league year is officially underway, and for the first time in his career, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a free agent. With Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Nick Mullens all gone in free agency, the Minnesota Vikings could be in the mix for Rodgers.
Right now, second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy is the only one left on Minnesota’s roster. Former Super Bowl-winning QB Chase Daniel says the Vikings shouldn’t overthink it — signing Rodgers is a no-brainer.
Chase Daniel Says Aaron Rodgers Makes Too Much Sense for Minnesota Vikings
It was a busy 2024 for Minnesota’s quarterback room. Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million deal last March with a shot at starting, while the Vikings drafted McCarthy 10th overall. Mullens returned as a backup, and the team added Jones in November.
McCarthy tore his meniscus during the preseason opener, leaving Darnold to take over. The seven-year pro turned in a career year, throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns with a 66.2% completion rate. He led the Vikings to a surprise 14-3 record, earned his first Pro Bowl nod, and finished 12th in PFSN’s QB+ metric.
Darnold has since signed a big-money deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Jones landed with the Indianapolis Colts, joining Nick Mullens (acquired by the Jacksonville Jaguars) in the AFC South. So, what’s next for Minnesota at quarterback?
Rodgers has been floated as an option this offseason, but the Vikings are reportedly weighing whether McCarthy is ready to start in 2025. While McCarthy is expected back this spring, Daniel isn’t buying it — and said he heard McCarthy wasn’t even close to beating out Darnold last year.
“If you’re the Vikings … this is a no-brainer to me,” Daniel said to co-host Dianna Russini on the latest episode of the Scoop City podcast. “Pick the best quarterback out there, and that is Aaron Rodgers. I understand what people are saying—hey, J.J. McCarthy is the future, this and that.
“[McCarthy] is an unproven rookie quarterback that played at Michigan that has very little snaps. He’s played in one [preseason] game. I’ve talked to people on the roster: ‘Hey, was this a competition? Would J.J. McCarthy actually have beaten out Sam Darnold [in 2024 training camp]?’ Absolutely not. The answer is a resounding no. This was Sam Darnold’s job from the jump; he played really well in training camp.”
“I've talked to people on the roster, hey, was this a competition?
Would JJ McCarthy actually have beaten out Sam Darnold? Absolutely not. The answer is a resounding no.”@ChaseDaniel on @Vikings QB JJ McCarthy
Daniel breaks down the two sides of the Rodgers/Vikings saga on… https://t.co/9pDRDqESYe pic.twitter.com/Uc1ATExkuS
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) March 18, 2025
If Rodgers lands in Minnesota, it would set up a wild Brett Favre-style career arc. After all, Favre spent years with the Packers, won a Super Bowl, then played a season with the Jets before finishing his career — and having one of his best seasons — with the Vikings.
Favre was an All-Pro in Minnesota, leading the Vikings to a 12-4 record and an NFC Championship Game appearance. Rodgers could follow that same script, giving the Vikings a year or two before turning things over to McCarthy. However, the team doesn’t seem as interested in the aging quarterback as he is in them.
Rodgers’ 2024 Season
Rodgers finished 21st in PFSN’s QB+ metric with a 72.2 (C-) grade. He averaged -0.02 EPA per dropback (27th), ranked 36th from a clean pocket (0.07 EPA per dropback), and converted just 33.5% of third downs (29th). His 6.2 net yards per attempt ranked 30th, despite averaging 5.8 yards after the catch per completion (ninth).
Believe it or not, those were better numbers than his final year with the Packers in 2022, where he graded out at 68.0 (D+).
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Rodgers’ 2.5 touchdown-to-interception ratio was the third-worst of his 16 seasons as a starter, trailing only 2022 and 2008. His 4.8% touchdown rate also ranked as his third-lowest.
From clean pockets, Rodgers averaged just 0.07 EPA per dropback — 35th out of 36 qualifying quarterbacks — ahead of only Will Levis. One issue? He was hesitant to let plays develop, posting the sixth-fastest time to throw in 2024 at 2.59 seconds.
Even so, the future Hall of Famer still threw for 3,897 yards (eighth in the league), with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.