The rumors continue to get louder by the day that veteran quarterback Derek Carr will make a comeback in the 2026 NFL season.
Carr was out of football for the 2025 season after surprising the Saints -- and everyone else -- with his decision to retire. The year away from football has apparently made Carr's heart grow fonder of the game, and he's reportedly hoping to come back in the 2026 season to a team that has aspirations of contending.
If Carr ends up coming back this season, there is really one team that makes more sense than any other. Carr could not only come back to a contender, but possibly find himself throwing passes to the best wide receiver in the league.
Vikings are obvious, no-brainer landing spot if Derek Carr returns to the NFL in 2026
The Minnesota Vikings are somewhat in desperation mode at the quarterback position after seeing what transpired during the 2025 season.
Not only did JJ McCarthy once again struggle with his on-field performance along with injuries, but Sam Darnold -- the guy the Vikings let walk in free agency -- won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. The play of Darnold and the regression of McCarthy (if you want to call it that) contributed to the Vikings firing GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
They'll be in the veteran QB market this offseason, and nobody really makes more sense for them than Derek Carr.
Carr would be able to come in and play in a QB-friendly offense with arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, Justin Jefferson, as his top target. The Vikings were a 14-win team just two seasons ago, and even with their quarterback situation in 2025, they still found a way to win nine games. Kevin O'Connell is a great coach, and the Vikings know they just need the right man under center to be a true contender in the NFC.
Is Carr the answer for them? He certainly doesn't present a long-term solution, by any stretch, but out of all the options available to them right now, he might give them the best chance to win in 2026. Kevin O'Connell was recently asked at the Scouting Combine if they still believe McCarthy is the team's QB of the future. His answer was pretty telling of where the franchise stands right now.
“A lot of those feelings are still the same. It's just the timeline is in a different place for all of us than it was (in 2024).”
- Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell
Entering year three, you shouldn't still be answering questions about whether or not a quarterback is still a possible franchise QB. At this point, you'd love to know definitively one way or another. The Vikings and Falcons are the only two teams still wondering the answer to that question from the vaunted 2024 quarterback class.
The Bears, Commanders, Patriots, and Broncos have all gone on rather deep playoff runs at this point, and they know their young quarterbacks are long-term franchise guys.
The Vikings now need a short-term fix because they have no idea what the future may hold for McCarthy. Derek Carr would be an ideal shot for them to take in 2026.