The 2025 NFL free agency period is upon us. The first day of the legal tampering period saw tons of deals agreed to across the NFL. That said, several big dominoes remain to fall, one of the biggest being Aaron Rodgers.
Rumors have floated all over about who Rodgers’ next team would be, whether it be with the Los Angeles Rams during rumors of Matthew Stafford being traded before eventually receiving a re-worked contract, the New York Giants to remain in New York, or more recently to the Pittsburgh Steelers to unite with his mutually respected buddy Mike Tomlin.
There have also been rumblings that Rodgers will follow in Brett Favre’s footsteps even more closely than he already has by joining the Minnesota Vikings.
Should Aaron Rodgers Consider the Minnesota Vikings as His Next Team?
New head coach Aaron Glenn and the New York Jets informed Rodgers in February that they were moving on and designating the four-time NFL MVP as a post-June 1 cut.
While the Favre comparisons already exist since Rodgers took over as the Green Bay Packers quarterback from Favre, the parallels don’t stop there. Both were traded from the Packers to the Jets and now Rodgers, a free agent, has the possibility of mirroring Favre’s career path even further.
The Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and, a couple of weeks into the 2024 preseason, lost the rookie to a torn meniscus. Luckily for the Vikings, they had also signed Sam Darnold, who had a strong career resurgent year under Kevin O’Connell and cashed in on it by agreeing to terms on a 3-year deal worth around $100 million with the Seattle Seahawks.
On day two of the NFL legal free agent tampering period, reports emerged that Daniel Jones, whom the Vikings added after his release from the Giants, was signing a 1-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
The sudden exodus now leaves McCarthy as the only quarterback in the room for the Vikings. They’ll likely add to the room, but will it be for a new starter or a backup for McCarthy? Dan Orlovsky had a stern warning for the Vikings:
“That would be a mistake by the Vikings. You have made the decision, the determination, to allow Darnold to go. You have now declared, more than likely, ‘This is McCarthy’s football team, and we want it to be McCarthy’s football team.’
Orlovsky had more to say: “Aaron comes with a lot — whether people like it or not, it’s a lot. Do not bring that into your building. Do not bring that into your football team. You are handing the keys over to a young player and saying, ‘This is going to be your opportunity. Lead us forward.’ And bringing Rodgers in is going to hinder that in some capacity, stunt that in some capacity.”
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport had the same thought process, posting, “And for the Vikings, It’s likely McCarthy’s time, though the team will also potentially add a veteran option to the QB room.”
Whether the Vikings are taking steps to ensure they can replicate last season’s success or trying to put McCarthy in a position to succeed in the future, Orlovsky tiptoed around and basically called Rodgers a distraction that would slow McCarthy’s development rather than help it.
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A lot is being made of the Vikings adding pieces to their offensive line. The Vikings also re-signed running back Aaron Jones, who could have been a potential lure for Rodgers if the Vikings decided to go that way. The more likely action for the Vikings seems to be adding someone like Mac Jones, reuniting with someone like Case Keenum, or bringing Taylor Heinicke back to the first team he ever signed with.
It will be exciting to watch whether the Vikings make a huge splash or a drop-in-the-bucket move at quarterback and how it will affect McCarthy’s near future.