3 QBs available after roster cuts who would be immediate Nick Mullens upgrade for Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings were hit with a rather vicious curveball early in the preseason when it was announced that J.J. McCarthy, the reigning No. 10 overall pick, will miss the entire season as he rehabs from meniscus surgery. Minnesota already laid plans to bring McCarthy along slowly, but now the Michigan product is off the board for his entire first season. A huge bummer.

In his stead, Sam Darnold, a former top-three pick in need of career revival, will unambiguously headline the Vikings' QB room. It's hard to mount a bad offense with the amount of playmaking talent at Darnold's disposal — Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones, Jordan Addison, (eventually) T.J. Hockenson — but there's a reason Darnold spent the last couple years shuffling between backup jobs.

He was a reasonable upside swing to help bridge the gap with McCarthy, but as the Vikings' only viable QB option, there's less to feel good about. The McCarthy injury also props up Nick Mullens as the QB2. The 29-year-old appeared in five games last season (three starts), filling in for an injured Kirk Cousins with decidedly mixed results. He completed 67.6 percent of his passes, but tossed more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (eight).

Mullens isn't the worst backup in the league, but he sure ain't the best either. Sam Darnold guarantees very little as your starting QB, so the Vikings probably want a better option in reserve. At the very least, the Vikings may benefit from another, more solid third option.

We've all seen the Josh Dobbs speculation, but he is presently locked in as QB2 in San Francisco and that won't change any time soon. Here are a few more reasonable targets for the Vikings fandom to ponder.

3. Desmond Ridder, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals

There is a lot of unclaimed property on Desmond Ridder Island. It is practically vacant. A rough season under center for the Atlanta Falcons, which saw Ridder cede starting duties to Taylor Heinicke multiple times, left most fans jaded. Now, he has lost the backup QB battle for the Arizona Cardinals to 2023 fifth-round pick Clayton Tune. It's a bad look.

Ridder's NFL future is hanging precariously in the balance and yeah, he probably isn't cut out for an expanded role in the pros. That said, it's a bit early to close the book entirely. Ridder is still 24. Front offices (and fanbases) are understandably impatient with the QB position, but there is plenty of room for Ridder to build on the successes and even the many failures of last season. The Arthur Smith offense did Ridder no favors and he would have even more firepower in his orbit on the Vikings' roster.

Turnovers marked Ridder's downfall in 2023. He coughed up 24 in total, 12 interceptions and 12 fumbles. He threw 12 touchdowns across 15 appearances (13 starts) and completed 64.2 percent of his passes. Not what you want, but there were occasional flashes to bank on. Ridder is a proven winner going back to college. He led some impressive fourth-quarter drives and made a few throws that made skeptics think twice.

On the whole, Ridder has not earned much faith. Compared to Mullens, however, there is at least room for an open competition behind Darnold, affording Kevin O'Connell more options if (or when) Darnold is forced to the pine.

2. Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have four quarterbacks after the initial roster crunch, which simply is not sustainable. Dorian Thompson-Robinson appeared to be the odd man out, but Cleveland's faith in the second-year signal caller persists. That has led to trade speculation involving Jameis Winston, who still profiles as one of the better backup quarterbacks in the NFL.

It has been difficult for me not to develop a begrudging respect for Jameis, who is the ideal backup QB on paper. The whole No. 1 pick thing didn't age well, but once he's stripped of expectations, Winston is a lot of fun. He's an absolute gunner with a canon attached to his right arm and a reckless abandon that is almost endearing.

Winston runs far too hot and cold to start games on a weekly basis, but he can absolutely put together the occasional 300-yard, four-TD masterclass in a pinch. He might throw four interceptions in the process, but Winston makes things happen. He forces the issue, stresses defenses down field, and operates with an aggression we rarely see from reserves. If the Vikings are going to hit pause on the Darnold experiment, we might as well see what Minnesota's optimal offensive environment can make of Winston's unfettered confidence.

There isn't much long-term equity with the 30-year-old, but the Vikings are built to win football games right now. The QB position aside, this is one of the best offensive rosters in the league. There's no shame in lining up an established, mostly competent vet in case Darnold gets hurt or simply cannot produce.

1. Kenny Pickett, Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles, on the surface, appear fairly content with Kenny Pickett as the backup QB. Howie Roseman didn't sacrifice an arm and a leg, but he did swap out a valuable pick to land Pickett in the City of Brotherly Love. And, on the surface, a 25-year-old former first-round pick with two years of starting experience under his belt in the ideal QB2.

Unfortunately, the many issues that plagued Pickett in Pittsburgh appear to have followed him across the state. It's telling that Philadelphia kept Tanner McKee on the roster after he blatantly outperformed Pickett in preseason action. Pickett has always been better when left to the imagination. The on-field product, defined by short-armed throws and a maddeningly circumspect mentality, tends to leave the at-home viewer disappointed.

Something tells me the Eagles would be perfectly comfortable sliding McKee into the QB2 role if the right offer comes along. Howie Roseman doesn't stumble often and he's not going to let a rare mistake fester. The Vikings should be weary, for all the reasons stated above, but Pickett does still provide an element of youth and starting experience that's hard to come by in a backup quarterback.

The Vikings' offense should make even a mediocre QB look respectable. Pickett never had a Justin Jefferson at his disposal in Pittsburgh, with all due respect to George Pickens. The Eagles' roster is similarly stacked and we still haven't seen Pickett with the full complement of Philadelphia playmakers around him, but if the Eagles are antsy, Pickett would serve as a fine backup QB option for the Vikings.