Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks, while Jones inked a one-year, $14 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts. For McCarthy, those moves seemingly cleared the path for him to be the Minnesota Vikings’ starter in 2025.

J.J. McCarthy might have won the Minnesota Vikings' QB1 job before taking his first regular-season NFL snap. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said in a Thursday appearance on the Dan Patrick Show that the Vikings are more likely to pursue a backup than first-string competition for McCarthy this offseason.

The narrative changed. The roadmap has not. The Vikings brain trust played the situation correctly, and because of that, the organization still is positioned firmly in win-now mode while transitioning to a quarterback who is essentially a rookie.