The Minnesota Vikings are in flux with rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy undergoing season-ending surgery. While McCarthy was considered the heir apparent to take over as franchise quarterback, that won't happen until next year. Instead, Sam Darnold, a bridge for the Vikings from Kirk Cousins to McCarthy, is now entrenched as Minnesota's starting quarterback. Darnold has impressed early into preseason for the Vikings. However, even with Darnold as the starting quarterback, things aren't looking great for the Vikings long-term.

The most worrying thing about Darnold is his inability to win. Darnold's overall record as an NFL quarterback is spotty, going 21-35 as a starter during his stints with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers. While the Vikings are loaded with weapons like Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson and in an offensive-first system under head coach Kevin O'Connell, Darnold isn't guaranteed to lead Minnesota to victory.

Darnold was in a similar situation last season in San Francisco and still couldn't win when allowed to play. So, although the Vikings will roll with a depth chart that features Darnold, Jaren Hall and Nick Mullen, they might want to consider some outside options to keep the quarterback competition rolling. Here are the best options for Minnesota to consider.

The best quarterback options for the Vikings

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Trevor Siemian (3) calls a play during the second quarter against Jacksonville Jaguars at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Tannehill

Former Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill has 156 NFL starts under his belt, so he knows how to play quarterback at this level. At 36 years old with an eroding quality of play over the last few years, Tannehill's days as a clear-cut NFL starting quarterback are over. But he has 151 regular season starts on his resume, with five playoff starts in his career (including an AFC Championship game). Any team eyeing a backup quarterback upgrade should have him on their radar.

Trevor Siemian

The Vikings could always take a stab at a quarterback they're familiar with, Trevor Siemian. Sure, Siemian is a dictionary definition of a journeyman backup quarterback. He made 24 starts for the Denver Broncos over the 2016 and 2017 seasons, post-Peyton Manning, with a season sitting behind Kirk Cousins with the Vikings in 2018. He has made nine starts for three teams (Jets, Saints, Bears) over the last four seasons.

Nathan Rourke

Nathan Rourke was a dual-threat force in college at Ohio University. Currently playing for the BC Lions in the CFL, he was named Most Outstanding Canadian in 2022 as he set the single-season league record for completion percentage (78.7 percent). Rourke has made some rounds on a few NFL rosters over the last year or so, most recently released by the Atlanta Falcons after Week 1 of the preseason. He passed for 37 yards with a completion of 23.1% in limited action with Atlanta.