Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

What’s Next for 2025–26 Vikings QB Depth Chart As Backup QB Carson Wentz Goes Out for the Season!

J.J. McCarthy could be back under center for the Vikings in their week 9 game against the Lions!

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings’ troubles with their quarterbacks continue to hamper their chances of playing winning football. With Carson Wentz set to miss the rest of the season due to surgery on his shoulder, that marks the third straight season the Vikings have lost a quarterback for the season.

In the 2023 season, veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins missed more than half the season after he suffered an Achilles injury in week 8, while last season, then rookie signal caller, J.J. McCarthy, missed the entire season due to a meniscus injury in preseason. McCarthy has again missed multiple games this season, and now Carson Wentz is the latest addition.

Vikings will place Carson Wentz on IR. Wentz will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder. pic.twitter.com/eh9WWYT9RL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 27, 2025

What Happened To Carson Wentz?

The former Kansas City Chiefs’ backup quarterback, Carson Wentz, suffered his shoulder injury in week 5 of the 2025 NFL season during the Vikings game against the Cleveland Browns in London, UK.

As per the Insiders, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Wentz suffered a dislocation that tore his labrum and fractured the socket. Wentz continued to start for the Vikings in Week 7 and Week 8 against the Eagles and the Chargers following a Week 6 bye week.

Playing with a big stabilizing brace on his non-throwing left arm, Wentz kept his role under center even as J.J. McCarthy continued to recover from his ankle injury. However, Wentz was seen in noticeable pain during the Vikings’ Thursday Night Football (TNF) clash against the Chargers, and he has now decided to go under the knife.

Who Will Be Starting for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9?

With Wentz now set to undergo surgery, Minnesota will have to place its backup signal caller on the IR list. The veteran quarterback will end up missing the remainder of the season as he continues the recovery process post-surgery.

However, the good news for the Vikings is that second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy is now expected to start Minnesota’s Week 9 game against the Detroit Lions. Although there is no official statement on McCarthy’s return, the word around the league is that he should be fine to start on Sunday.

NEWS: Vikings QB Carson Wentz is undergoing season-ending surgery on his left shoulder, sources tell me and @alec_lewis. He will be placed on IR.

Wentz played multiple games with the injury. J.J. McCarthy is in line to start for Minnesota in Week 9 against Detroit. pic.twitter.com/IgdY23yoRQ
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 27, 2025

In the event that McCarthy is still not available, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer will be the next man up, as he is now the backup quarterback on the Vikings’ depth chart. Brosmer also played the backup role to Wentz once McCarthy was out injured in the past few weeks.

But with Wentz now out for the season, it remains to be seen what the Vikings will do for a potential third quarterback, as more than half the season is still left.

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!