"Carson Wentz in 2025 is nasty work": NFL fans react to Vikings signing veteran QB as J.J. McCarthy's mentor ahead of season-opener vs. Bears

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a new backup ahead of the new season after the Vikings signed veteran quarterback Carson Wentz. Before the signing, the Vikings completed a trade that saw quarterback Sam Howell head to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Vikings signed Howell in April in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. After an uninspiring preseason spell with the Vikings, Howell is making way for Wentz, a more experienced option in the quarterback room. Wentz’s signing and the Vikings-Eagles trade have been generating reactions among fans, especially on X.

Luka Troncic wrote:

“Carson Wentz in 2025 is nasty work.”

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Global Utopia Sports also wrote:

“Never understood why the Eagles didn’t just resign Pickett he did great. This is a lot for Howell to be a backup.”

Dan Rogers commented:

“This makes me believe the Eagles have received an offer for Tanner McKee that they can’t refuse. If they turn a 6th-round pick into a solid draft capital, while securing a viable backup for Hurts, that’s good GM’ing by Howie.”

MillenialMillioniares wrote:

“Minnesota = washed QB CPR. They do their best to save your career.”

Yeesha wrote:

“This is so interesting.”

Acester25 wrote:

“Extremely unpopular take I’m sure… we should be the ones bringing Wentz back to be our backup for a potential redemption story if (God forbid) Hurts ever gets injured.”

Wentz was the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NFL draft, launching his pro career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the Eagles’ primary starter for five seasons from 2016 to 2020, earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2017. He spent the 2021 season with the Indianapolis Colts as the team’s starting quarterback, and the following season was a starter for Washington.

Carson Wentz's expected role at Minnesota

The past two seasons have seen Carson Wentz playing backup, first for Matthew Stafford with the Rams and then for Patrick Mahomes with the Chiefs. However, his role at Minnesota will see him playing both backup and mentor to the Vikings’ second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

The Vikings selected McCarthy with the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL draft after he led the Michigan Wolverines to a national championship. However, an injury kept him out for the entirety of his rookie season.

After playing limited snaps in their preseason campaign, McCarthy is expected to lead the Vikings through this season.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

Know More

Vikings Nation! Check out the latest Minnesota Vikings Schedule and dive into the Vikings Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.