Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

The Minnesota Vikings have made a move at quarterback after placing rookie JJ McCarthy on injured reserve.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Vikings have signed former Carolina Panthers third-round pick and quarterback Matt Corral. The move comes after the Vikings announced that JJ McCarthy will miss his entire rookie year following surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

With McCarthy out for the season, free agent signing Sam Darnold is a virtual lock to open 2024 as their starting QB. Minnesota’s other quarterbacks on the roster are Nick Mullens and sophomore Jaren Hall (a 2023 fifth-round pick), so the battle for the QB3 job has just intensified with Corral on the way.

Carolina drafted Matt Corral 94th overall in 2022, a class that was notable for its lack of top-tier quarterback prospects. A Lisfranc injury in Corral’s left foot forced him to miss his entire rookie year, and the Panthers waived him before the start of the 2023 season.

The New England Patriots later picked up Corral, but he never played a game and was let go in September. Corral signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL, appearing in for games.

Minnesota will open their 2024 season with a road contest against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 8.

JJ McCarthy’s Highly-Anticipated Minnesota Vikings Debut Is On Hold

Minnesota let Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins walk in free agency and signed Darnold as a bridge option. They traded up one spot via the New York Jets to select JJ McCarthy with the No. 10 pick, hoping the Michigan product would emerge as their long-term answer at quarterback

But the national champion-winning QB will have to wait another long year to make his highly-anticipated NFL debut. It’s an extremely unfortunate break for McCarthy and Vikings fans, who’ve had to endure a terrible amount of injuries to key players over the past year.