New Details Emerge on Vikings’ Carson Wentz Contract

The Minnesota Vikings entered the offseason knowing that they had to find a proper answer at the quarterback position for the 2026 campaign. After their decision to simply hand the starting job to 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy blew up in spectacular fashion, the front office knew it needed to get some competition for him.

That was done when the team signed former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray to a one-year, $1.3 million deal in free agency. He isn’t the only quarterback who will be competing with McCarthy for the starting job, though, as Carson Wentz was re-signed earlier this week as well. And now that the deal is in the books, the full details of Wentz’s new contract have emerged.

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Vikings Re-Sign Carson Wentz on 1-Year, $3 Million Contract

Wentz was signed in August by the Vikings, and their decision to bring him to town proved to be a shrewd one, because by the time Week 3 rolled around, the veteran quarterback found himself as the team’s starter thanks to an ankle injury McCarthy suffered. While he wasn’t great by any stretch of the imagination (110/169, 1,216 YDS, 6 TD, 5 INT), many folks believed Wentz gave Minnesota a better shot of winning than McCarthy.

It certainly didn’t help that Wentz himself suffered a serious shoulder injury that he was gutting out in order to give McCarthy time to get fully healthy. Eventually, Wentz underwent season-ending surgery on his shoulder, but with McCarthy continuing to struggle, it left the door open for him to return in free agency this offseason.

Even with the addition of Murray, Minnesota wanted Wentz back, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering how much success Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones experienced in 2025 after the Vikings let them walk last offseason. As it turns out, the Vikings didn’t have to pay much to keep Wentz in town, as reports indicate that he signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the team in free agency.

“Compensation update: It’s a one-year, $3 million deal with upside for Carson Wentz, who gets $2.645M guaranteed,” Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported in a post on X.

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Carson Wentz Set to Factor into Vikings’ Quarterback Competition

Wentz isn’t the Pro Bowl-caliber player he once was earlier in his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, but he still has something to offer, even as he prepares to enter his age-34 season. A veteran quarterback who has seen a lot during his time in the league, Wentz can be a good sounding board for younger passers, and he can still hold his own when he is thrown into the fire.

Chances are, the quarterback job will come down to either McCarthy or Murray, but should something go awry, Minnesota can rest assured knowing it has Wentz acting as a third layer of depth. We saw in 2025 how having him ended up being unexpectedly important for the Vikings, so even while this isn’t the flashiest signing ever, this is a move that fans shouldn’t be so quick to sweep under the rug.

Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli