Minnesota Vikings: Who Will Be the Starting Quarterback in 2011?

The Brett Favre era is officially over for the Minnesota Vikings, but the 2011 NFL offseason could be very unpredictable. All the commotion may have the Vikings landing a quarterback to take Favre's place.

They may wait until the draft. Who knows, they may already employ their starting quarterback for 2011.

Here are at least some of the options that the Vikings should look into.

Check out Erik Frenz's football curator page at myspace.com/football. Follow Erik on Twitter at @e_frenz.

Carson Palmer

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The most recent Bengal to request a trade in the offseason, Carson Palmer has even threatened with retirement if his demands aren't met.

Who can blame him for wanting to get away from an organization that seems to have no hope of going anywhere with so many "paycheck guys" in the locker room (courtesy ESPN Magazine's anonymous "Player X").

He is still a formidable quarterback in the NFL, and the Vikings present him a big opportunity to succeed. It will be much easier for him to transition into the offense with big-time weapons in Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice, Visanthe Shiancoe and of course, Adrian Peterson.

Kevin Kolb

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

While the Vikings are currently searching for their quarterback, the Eagles have the good fortune of a talented backup on their roster. Whether they choose to trade him or keep him as injury insurance for Michael Vick remains to be seen.

But with the Eagles seemingly ready to make a run for a championship, wouldn't it be wise of them to take what they can get in a trade?

He makes mistakes in his reads, and has thrown just one fewer interception than he has thrown touchdowns. If the Vikings think he's a good fit, they'd be foolish not to at least make the appropriate phone call.

Tarvaris Jackson

Nick Laham/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 22: Tarvaris Jackson #7 of the Minnesota Vikings on the sideline against the Seattle Seahawks at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on November 22, 2009 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

It seems like every time this guy steps onto the field, his bones suddenly go soft and he immediately gets injured. Did anyone else think it was the slightest bit ironic that in the first game Favre ever missed due to injury, Jackson came out of the game with an injury by halftime?

But has he shown enough when he's played to be the guy for 2011? I think it says a lot about a team's confidence in you when they are throwing themselves at the feet of Favre.

Then again, he looked so good after his injury in 2008 that the team decided to start him over Gus Frerotte, who had started 10 games for them.

Blaine Gabbert

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

TEMPE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Blaine Gabbert #11 of the Missouri Tigers throws a pass during the Insight Bowl against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Sun Devil Stadium on December 28, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Although he has never played in a pro-style offense, many pundits view Blaine Gabbert as the top quarterback prospect. He had back-to-back seasons with 3,000 yards, and completed over 63 percent of his passes this past season.

His intangibles are off the charts, according to Scouts Inc. Their profile of him on ESPN.com says, "Takes care of his business both on and off the field. Excellent student in the class room and was named first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection in 2009. Vocal leader and challenges teammates in offseason workouts."

Sounds like the type of guy who can lead a franchise into the next generation. Again, the biggest question is, can he transition from a spread set to a pro-style offense?

Chances are pretty slim he falls to 12, but if he does, the Vikings will have a chance to land him.

Cam Newton

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Vikings give Newton a great chance to succeed from the start. There's little doubt that having all those big-time weapons at his disposal would make his transition a little easier. Although the Vikings may not have one of the better offensive lines in football, Newton's abilities as a scrambler would benefit him well in that regard.

The biggest questions surround his priorities, after saying, "I see myself as not just a football player, but an entertainer and an icon." His interview will be a big part of whether or not he is viewed as a first-round candidate or worse.

Newton does have one thing firmly in his favor: He's simply oozing with athleticism. That's hard for a lot of teams to pass up, especially after they've seen that player's eye-popping performance at the combine.

Like with Gabbert, chances are pretty slim he will fall all the way to 12 unless he shows miserably in interviews.

What Do You Think?

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 02: Brett Favre #4 of the Minnesota Vikings talks at a post game press conference after a 13-20 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on January 2, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Do you agree with my choices? Disagree? Did I miss someone?

Your thoughts are welcome. Please let me know what you think in the comments below?