The Vikings currently only have two quarterbacks — J.J. McCarthy and Brett Rypien — under contract for the 2025 season, which means they're expected to go shopping for a veteran arm this month.

Last year's starter, Sam Darnold, is free to sign with another team starting March 12, when NFL free agency officially begins, after the Vikings declined to use the franchise tag by Tuesday's deadline. The Vikings are open to a reunion with Darnold if the price is right.

Darnold is the top name available in a rather barren free-agent quarterback market. He's coming off a breakout season, in which he threw for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdown passes. He turns 28 years old in June. He seems to have the best case among available quarterbacks to be someone's long-term solution.

If that kind of long-term offer doesn't materialize for Darnold, there's a possibility he returns to Minnesota for next season. If Darnold leaves, here's a look at some of the Vikings' options in free agency.

Daniel Jones (Vikings)

Jones, the Giants' 2019 first-round pick, spent about six weeks on the Vikings roster at the end of last season. That was an audition for the Vikings as much as Jones, who now knows the Vikings' inner workings before choosing his next team. Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said last week Jones is a "potential option for us."

Russell Wilson (Steelers)

Steelers GM Omar Khan said at the combine that they'd like to keep either Wilson or Justin Fields. But both are still scheduled to be free agents next week. Wilson, 36, returned from a calf injury to start 11 games last season, throwing for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Justin Fields (Steelers)

Fields, the 2021 first-round pick by the Bears, showed improvement as a passer in Pittsburgh. He started the first six games and completed a career-high 65.8% of his passes in that small sample size. But he's still far from prolific with his arm, averaging just 184 passing yards per game while running for as many touchdowns (5) as he threw.

Jacoby Brissett (Patriots)

Brissett, 32, started the first five games last season before New England rolled out first-round pick Drake Maye. Brissett couldn't throw for more than 168 yards and one touchdown in those starts, but he also didn't have much to work with in that offense.

Marcus Mariota (Commanders)

Mariota, 31, could be onto his fifth different NFL team in as many years. He hasn't started much recently — just 13 games for the Falcons in 2022 — but he was efficient in relief of Jayden Daniels last season in Washington, where Mariota threw for 364 yards, four scores and no picks over two appearances.

Jameis Winston (Browns)

Winston, 31, would be quite the test of coach Kevin O'Connell's ability to limit turnovers from the position. Winston threw 13 touchdowns to 12 interceptions last year in Cleveland, where he had a 497-yard passing outing but also three starts with three picks.

Mac Jones (Jaguars)

Jones, another former 2021 first-round pick, replaced an injured Trevor Lawrence last season and struggled. He'd be another reclamation project as a relatively young guy (26 years old) with 49 starts already under his belt with Jacksonville and New England.

Trey Lance (Cowboys)

Lance, the Marshall, Minn., native and North Dakota State product, might just get an invite to training camp for some team. He hasn't yet earned anything beyond that. He got back onto the field at the end of last season, throwing for 244 yards and no scores or picks in his first start since 2022.

Friday's Access Vikings newsletter will take a look at the team's financial situation, which is in markedly different shape than it's been in almost a decade. Subscribe here to get the free newsletter sent to your inbox.