Trouble Brewing for a Vikings QB
The quarterback position has been in the spotlight all offseason for the Minnesota Vikings. In the past, it was Kirk Cousins’ job at QB1, and who cares about the QB2, he’s never hurt anyway. Well, times have changed in the Twin Cities. At first, trusting J.J. McCarthy with the starting role took some more time than many hoped, and the search for a backup took some time, too.
Trouble Brewing for a Vikings QB
Yet, entering OTAs and training camp, the rankings were clear. McCarthy is QB1, Sam Howell is QB2, Brett Rypien is QB3, and Max Brosmer is QB4.
After eight training camp practices, there has been a change. Friday, after some struggles, the Vikings seemingly benched Mr. Howell and elevated Rypien to the second unit.
Will Ragatz (SI.com) noted on social media: “Seems like Brett Rypien is getting reps with the second-team offense after the latest Howell pick. The backup QB situation is one to watch.”
Dane Mizutani (Twin Cities Pioneer Press) described the pick: “Sam Howell threw what appeared to be a telegraphed interception to Theo Jackson.”
It is unknown whether those changes will remain or were just some short-term moves.
Howell hasn’t been particularly impressive in the first few practices either, which started some rumblings about the Vikings potentially needing a new signal-caller to back up young starter McCarthy. The question is, if McCarthy was forced to sit out a game or even one play, would the Vikings feel confident inserting Howell?
Nick Mullens, last season, was asked to throw two passes, as Sam Darnold needed a brief moment on the sidelines twice. He entered the game cold and still delivered both passes for first downs. In the 2023 season, Joshua Dobbs did his thing when he unexpectedly had to go under center just days after arriving in the Twin Cities. Later that year, Dobbs’ backup Mullens led a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter against the Raiders.
A backup doesn’t need to be the most talented player, and not everyone can have a high-end backup, but the QB2 should be reliable and trustworthy enough to step up if needed. If Howell is struggling in camp, can the Vikings really lean on him?
Alec Lewis of The Athletic released his updated 53-man roster prediction, and he flat-out cut April’s trade acquisition, going into the season with McCarthy and Rypien as the only two signal-callers.
“The backup situation is fluid,” Lewis explained. “Howell performed better throughout the majority of Monday’s practice, but then a throw into traffic resulted in a tipped interception. Rypien must prove he can be consistently accurate to earn the job, and it’s always possible Minnesota could look externally.”
Howell was the odd man out in Seattle after only one campaign with the club. The Seahawks replaced him with Drew Lock as Sam Darnold’s backup. He was available in exchange for dropping a few draft slots. Last year, he checked in for Geno Smith a couple of times, and the results weren’t pretty either.
Considering the minimal investment, replacing him at some point between now and the regular season isn’t too far-fetched.
Potential candidates include Jameis Winston, especially if rookie Jaxson Dart is showing enough promise to be Russell Wilson’s backup. Kirk Cousins is still on the chopping block, but that situation would be a little too strange. Instead, the Vikings could target Cleveland’s Kenny Pickett.
If the Chargers think Trey Lance has what it takes following his strong HOF game, perhaps Taylor Heinicke is on the trade block. Or how about another old friend? Teddy Bridgewater came out of retirement last season to become Detroit’s backup. Ryan Tannehill and Carson Wentz are still looking for a job.
If Howell doesn’t convince the Vikings, they will find someone else for the gig. First, they will give the 24-year-old a couple of weeks of practice and some action in the preseason, though.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.