Turns Out, the Vikings’ QB Room Stinks
The Minnesota Vikings have made an effort this offseason to put together a strong team for the upcoming season by addressing the trenches in both free agency and the draft. However, not everyone is convinced that the club can go on a run in 2025, primarily because of the unknown at the QB1 spot.
Turns Out, the Vikings’ QB Room Stinks
It is J.J. McCarthy’s job this season, something that has likely been the plan ever since he was drafted a year ago. Yet, due to the lost season with a torn meniscus and the annoying Aaron Rodgers rumors, the Vikings are viewed as hesitant.
Garrett Podell, CBS Sports, ranked QB rooms in the NFL, and the Vikings are 29th, only ahead of the Steelers, Colts, and Browns.
About McCarthy, Podell wrote: “The Minnesota Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy 10th overall out of Michigan with an eye on him being their starting quarterback in the future, and they let Sam Darnold walk this offseason to accelerate that timeline. However, it’s unclear how much faith they have in McCarthy fully being ready to roll in 2025 after tearing his meniscus in the 2024 preseason. O’Connell confirmed Minnesota ‘evaluated’ Aaron Rodgers and is ‘hopeful’ McCarthy is the team’s starting quarterback. Not exactly a ringing endorsement.”
Where do we start? Let’s start with the Rodgers rumors. Those were clearly driven by the media and the Rodgers side. There was zero incentive from the Vikings’ side to leak any of that. However, evaluating whether a Hall of Fame quarterback would be a decent option for the upcoming season when the roster is built to win is O’Connell’s job, not an endorsement in either direction whatsoever. The coach probably thought about 50 other quarterbacks this offseason, too, but none of that suggests he doesn’t trust McCarthy.
The notion that he is just “hopeful” is another bad-faith point. O’Connell has praised McCarthy ever since the franchise decided to select him in the draft. His comments are all over the internet, and it’s a new glowing endorsement whenever he gets the chance to speak about his student.
Just this week, he said on Up & Adams: “But trust me, J.J.’s going to get all of the prerequisite work for us to come out of the spring feeling great about where he’s at and heading into training camp. As those days and weeks click off the calendar here, I’m sure he’ll be in a great position to do a lot of good things for us.”
Even better sounded his words from March: “Yeah, he’s not a rookie. He’s been able to have, you know, that pseudo redshirt year, albeit without the reps we have wanted, but I’m really confident, really excited to see him hit the ground running. He’s had a great offseason and can’t wait to get going with him.”
Do we know if McCarthy will be good in 2025 or beyond? We absolutely don’t because we haven’t seen him. But to suggest O’Connell doesn’t sound confident in his new passer is ridiculous.
McCarthy isn’t the only QB in the room. Podell noted about the others: “The Vikings acquired veteran quarterback Sam Howell during the 2025 NFL Draft along with a fifth-round pick (172nd overall) in exchange for the 142nd overall pick in the fifth round. Howell started all 17 games for the Washington Commanders as a rookie in 2023, and he led the NFL with 612 pass attempts while playing on a team with the league’s worst defense. He also threw as many interceptions, 21 (most in the NFL), as touchdowns as a result of forcing the ball downfield to try and make up for the porous defense.”
After a long wait, the Vikings traded for Howell in the draft. It only took a day-three pick swap to make it happen. Howell has experience in the league and might have some untapped potential. There’s a reason why he isn’t one of the 32 starters in the NFL, but he’s a reasonable backup.
“Brett Rypien is a journeyman, now on his third NFL team and has just four starts in 10 career games played. Minnesota signed rookie undrafted free agent Max Brosmer this offseason after he served as the Golden Gophers’ starting quarterback just down the road at the University of Minnesota.”
Rypien is the QB3 and UDFA Brosmer hopes to unseat any of them to secure a roster spot.
McCarthy is not a sure thing in the upcoming season, and because of that, the quarterback room deserves to be listed low. However, there’s enough evidence of O’Connell’s ability to elevate quarterbacks and the fact that he will play in an offense with a revamped offensive line, and absolutely elite weapons all over the place, it wouldn’t be surprising one bit if he “hit the ground running,” like O’Connell mentioned.
The passer has also drawn a ton of praise from his teammates. It seems like he’s impressing folks within the building.
Defensive captain Josh Metellus was asked about his fellow Michigan alumnus: “You felt his energy [when he visited the Wolverines as a recruit],” Metellus said. “To have poise the way he does, I think it goes a long way, especially for a team — especially for the leader of a team. For our quarterback to not even [have stepped] on the field yet and already have that poise, that energy when he walks in the building, is very special. I could talk about his abilities on the field all day … but for a guy to be the person he is in the building is something to look forward to.”
To quote the signal-caller from just a few days ago when he was asked if he thinks he’s ready to start: “I know I’m ready to start,” McCarthy said Tuesday. “All the work I’ve put in and just the confidence in my skills and abilities.”
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