After Report Claiming “A Lot to Sort Through” at QB, Vikings Could be Teetering on Disaster
The Vikings could end up in a bad spot in Week 7.
Tom Pelissero is the national insider who best understands what’s taking place in Minnesota. As Janik Eckardt previously detailed, J.J. McCarthy is working through what Pelissero described as a “murky” recovery and progression. Even worse is that things aren’t certain when it comes to Carson Wentz; Minnesota’s backup passer is similarly operating at less than full health. What’s in store for a Vikings team that sees its top two quarterbacks nursing injuries?
Vikings Could be Teetering on Disaster
To a certain extent, Minnesota has been in the position before.
In Week 8 of the 2023 season, Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles. Anytime a team loses its top option at quarterback, the team sees the odds of struggle increase dramatically. Making matters even worse for the Vikings was that Nick Mullens, the main backup in 2023, was already in the infirmary.
As a result, the Vikings had to bump up Jaren Hall to the top spot. The 5th-Round rookie did reasonably well, all things considered. Mr. Hall helped to seal off the win, moving the ball in a modest manner while burning off the clock.
But then there was lots more QB turmoil upcoming.
Hall would get hurt the next week, leading to the wild ride that was Joshua Dobbs’ time with the Vikings. The remainder of the year would feature all of Mullens, Hall, and Dobbs taking turns starting and getting benched. The quarterback depth chart was a rollercoaster, a seesaw, a stock report; pick the appropriate comparison for something that moves up and down with great regularity.
So far, the Vikings haven’t been working through the same degree of chaos in the aftermath of J.J. McCarthy hurting his ankle. Is that going to continue? Consider the word about the veteran backup.
Pelissero’s update on Wentz: “Meanwhile, his backup — Carson Wentz — dealing with a left shoulder injury. He could be limited in practice this week. A lot to sort through to figure out who is going to be out there on the field next week against the Eagles.”
Truth be told, the quarterback who takes the opening snap isn’t as consequential as the quarterback who takes the final snap. Put differently, can a less-than-100% passer begin the game and end the game? Or, perhaps, are the Vikings walking into a buzzsaw that’s going to chew up the player(s) tasked with leading the offense (and team more broadly)?
The Vikings could move into the Week 7 game with all three of their top passers dressed. Carson Wentz has a decent chance to start while J.J. McCarthy could slide into the QB2 job, at least for a week. What about seeing one — or, worse yet, both — need time off due to getting dinged up? What then?
Sitting at QB3 is Max Brosmer, a young arm who is inspiring optimism. Do note, however, that the optimism needs to be kept within its proper lane.
The goal with Brosmer is to develop the undrafted passer. Doing so means working with him in practice and having him active during games. The main objective, though, is to slowly develop Brosmer without needing him to get onto the field. Send him out there in a situation like in Week 3 when Minnesota was eviscerating Cincinnati.
What about needing him to lead the team against the defending Super Bowl champions? That’s less than ideal.
Carson Wentz has a shoulder that isn’t fully right. Likewise, J.J. McCarthy is moving in a reasonably positive direction. The issue is simply that he’s not yet at perfect health, presumably making a re-injury more likely.
Add up the pair of injuries and there are a pair of passers who aren’t fully healed as Week 7 nears. Just how risky is that for the 3-2 Vikings?
Maybe the game occurs and there are no new developments for roster health. Everyone walks in healthy (or close to healthy) and walks out in a similar condition. That’s obviously the goal. Seeing McCarthy and Wentz still working on getting healthy leaves the Vikings in a precarious spot, however, especially given the recent cut for Desmond Ridder.
If the kid QB can get a full week of work as he flirts with full health, then he’ll be the one to start — and hopefully finish — the game. If, however, Minnesota needs to roll with a quarterback who is at less than complete health, then Carson Wentz is going to get the start.
Seeing something happen to the top option(s) could involve seeing Max Brosmer tossed into the game. A true disaster would mean leaning on emergency quarterback Cam Akers.
Kickoff between the Vikings and Eagles arrives at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday, October 19th.
