Colts Waive Former Vikings QB
The Indianapolis Colts have endured an eventful season at the quarterback position. No longer part of that rotation is former Vikings QB Brett Rypien. The veteran backup was waived ahead of Monday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Brett Rypien Axed
To give them the best chances on MNF, the Colts activated defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from injured reserve. Despite the move, they lost the game, but Rypien lost his job to make room for Buckner on the 53-man roster.
The Colts wrote on their official website, “The Colts on Monday activated defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from injured reserve, clearing the way for the three-time Pro Bowler to return for the Colts’ Week 16 Monday night matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium. To make room for Buckner on their 53-man roster, the Colts waived quarterback Brett Rypien, who was signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad last week.”
Rypien started the offseason as the other quarterback on the Vikings’ roster next to J.J. McCarthy. Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Nick Mullens all left in free agency, leaving Rypien as the second option until the draft, when Sam Howell and Max Brosmer joined the club.
In the preseason, he failed to unseat a struggling Howell from the QB2 throne and was usurped by Brosmer in the final preseason game, as they shared the reps and went head-to-head. Brosmer remained, Howell was traded, and Rypien was cut.
That ended a year on Minnesota’s roster. He was initially signed to be the QB3 behind Darnold and Mullens ahead of the 2024 campaign, replacing 2023 draftee Jaren Hall after the preseason. Had he clinched a job in Minnesota’s QB room, he likely would’ve gotten snaps at some point this season, given QB3 Brosmer has already attempted 47 passes.
Once the Vikings cut him, Rypien signed with the Cincinnati Bengals to be their QB3 on the practice squad. Joe Burrow suffered an injury, and suddenly, Rypien was one snap away from throwing to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Rypien was promoted to the 53-man roster after Burrow’s injury.
His stint in Cincinnati ended when they finalized a trade for Joe Flacco. The Colts added him soon after. Anthony Richardson had suffered his strange injury, and they needed someone behind Daniel Jones and rookie Riley Leonard.
For a moment, after Jones got hurt, it looked like Rypien might get a shot, especially with Leonard picking up a minor knee injury. Surprisingly, the Colts reactivated Philip Rivers. Unlike in Cincinnati, however, he remained with the team for a little while after the QB on the wrong side of 40 was added.
On his NFL resume, Rypien has four career starts (11 appearances), throwing for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions. The Colts were his eighth employer, following the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and Cincinnati Bengals.
The former Boise State star quarterback is 29 years old and will likely resurface on someone’s practice squad in the upcoming days.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.