Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson had a consistent starting quarterback for his first four seasons in Kirk Cousins.
While Sam Darnold played well for the Vikings in 2024, Minnesota started three QBs in 2025 with mainly poor results: J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. Minnesota went 9-8 last season, but the quarterbacks combined to throw for just 2,802 yards with 17 touchdowns and 21 interceptions on a 61.4 percent completion rate (running back Cam Akers also had a 32-yard touchdown pass).
That level of play is part of why Jefferson finished with just 1,048 yards and two touchdowns, despite playing all 17 games. The only other time in his career he finished with fewer than 1,400 yards was in 2023, when he appeared in just 10 games.
The Vikings signed Kyler Murray in free agency, and he’s widely expected to be the team’s Week 1 starter. But McCarthy, Wentz, and Brosmer are all back — and ostensibly all have eyes on that QB1 spot.
In a Friday interview with NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, Jefferson was asked what he’d like to see from Minnesota’s QB derby this offseason.
“Just competition, for real,” Jefferson said. “Just to see who’s going to be that last man standing, who’s going to be that dog, who’s going to be that leader to carry us throughout this season — because that’s definitely a missing piece that we’re looking for and something that’s very important to our team, which is the quarterback spot. So just seeing that competition, battle — seeing those guys come every single day leading the team and trying to spark, especially the offense, is definitely something I’m looking forward to. And just going out there and just connecting with any quarterback who’s throwing the ball, that’s the main, important thing this training camp.”
No matter who ends up starting this year, Jefferson would like to have a consistent QB1 throwing him passes for years to come.
“Yeah, that’s definitely something that is… I want that, for sure,” Jefferson said. “It’s definitely difficult for those types of things to happen. But just like me being with Kirk for those first four years of my career, just building on that connection, building on that relationship, that’s something that’s unbroken. That’s something that you just don’t find anywhere.
“So it definitely would be great to have a quarterback — the same quarterback — for these next couple years going down the line. But we already know that’s something that’s very difficult to do in this league. But for sure, to keep on that quarterback for these next couple years, and build that relationship, and create that spark, that’s definitely the plan.”
In his six stellar seasons, Jefferson has recorded 579 receptions for 8,480 yards with 42 touchdowns.
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