Kevin O’Connell Says “Not So Fast” on Latest Vikings Rumor
The Minnesota Vikings are now 4-4, and after their latest win over the Detroit Lions, the franchise is reenergized; another victory on Sunday could catapult them right back into the playoff race they expected to be part of throughout the offseason.
Kevin O’Connell Says “Not So Fast” on Latest Vikings Rumor
The trade deadline is coming up on Tuesday, and the Vikes have been rumored to be in the market for a new quarterback, a veteran presence to join the room with young signal-callers J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer, who combine for only three career starts. And there certainly are some options available if the Vikings want to explore them.
Adam Schefter, ESPN, reported on the weekend, “The Minnesota Vikings did not want to head into this season without an experienced veteran backup quarterback … If that was Minnesota’s thought process before the season, sources believe it would be the same now, with the Vikings still needing an experienced veteran backup for J.J. McCarthy.”
The thought process makes sense, as Kevin O’Connell has prioritized having an experienced passer in the building at all times, and relying on someone in an emergency who has only garbage-time reps under his belt is a little risky.
Last week, the Vikings added former Rams quarterback John Wolford, an old friend of O’Connell.
On Monday, a day after the excellent victory over the Lions, O’Connell was asked about his quarterback room and whether the club wants to add a passer like that. The coach pretty much shut down that idea.
“I think with bringing John (Wolford) in, it was something where we wanted to make sure we had a third guy in the room … He’s got experience, understanding how our pass offense works and how we want to operate. As he said, ‘I think I’m the old guy in the room now.’ I think that’s important for two young guys, to have that third in there. I feel pretty comfortable with that room right now.”
O’Connell mentioned that he wants to add Wolford to the 53-man roster at some point to unlock the possibility of using him as the emergency quarterback. The veteran is currently on the practice squad and QBs there cannot be used that way. On Sunday, the Vikings had only McCarthy and Brosmer active and he likes to have a third guy dressed for emergencies.
The head coach could’ve easily deflected, but he made it pretty clear that he likes his QB room and McCarthy certainly helped eliminate some concerns with his promising performance on Sunday.
He showed growth in his first game back from his stint on the sidelines with an ankle injury, looking decisive and comfortable for the most of the game. Sure, there were occasional inaccurate throws, but a handful of passes were excellent, confirming his perceived high ceiling, and he once again showed his mobility.
Brosmer has yet to play any meaningful snaps. His only opportunities came in garbage time versus the Bengals and Chargers as well as a kneel-down in London. However, he has earned praise from his head coach for months. Turning down the last chance to pick up a veteran quarterback from another team would be a significant indication that they trust him as the backup.
Ultimately, the Vikings could still make a move and O’Connell just didn’t show his cards, but he surely sounded confident with his trio.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.