“The team still has faith in McCarthy but injuries are the main worry,” Harmon wrote in a January 29 X post. Like McCarthy, Richardson entered the league at just 21 years old and saw limited action his rookie year, playing just four games before a season-ending AC joint injury. Richardson went 6-5 as a starter during the 2024 season but was benched for Joe Flacco midseason. Jones fits the Vikings’ biggest priority of finding a veteran quarterback to lean on if McCarthy struggles or is injured next season. He is a more likely model of quarterback the Vikings are expected to pursue to pair with McCarthy over another unproven upside bet like Richardson.