Did a Vikings Quarterback Hear the Magic Words to Truly Climb the Depth Chart?
Quite possibly, the Minnesota Vikings have a different opinion of Brett Rypien than many others.
True, the Vikings quarterback has uninspiring career statistics — a 2-2 career record to sit alongside 58.3% passing, 950 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions — but he was brought aboard at the expense of Jaren Hall, suggesting that Minnesota has always had a pretty strong assessment of him. Can he slot into the main backup spot in 2025? Some of the recent words from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah make it sound as though it’s at least a possibility.
Vikings Quarterback Brett Rypien & The Opening at QB2 for MIN
Before going any further, consider what Adofo-Mensah had to say about Brett Rypien.
The Vikings’ GM was fending off questions aplenty about Aaron Rodgers. At one point, he did so by moving into his confidence in top option J.J. McCarthy before transitioning into some praise for the current QB2: “Obviously, we’re going to talk a lot about J.J. McCarthy, but Brett Rypien who is someone we brought in last offseason. We thought he made a lot of great decisions, quick decision-making, processing, better athlete than people give him credit for. Accurate passer, so we’re excited about him.”
“We’re always going to keep looking to see if we can upgrade that position, just like every other position,” Adofo-Mensah goes on to conclude.
Kick it over to Janik Eckardt, someone who recently discussed the possibility of Mr. Rypien being the main backup on PurplePTSD.
“That leads us back to Rypien,” Eckardt writes, “who has drawn praise wherever he went in his career and is seemingly a superstar for coaches, as he keeps getting backup and depth jobs, but the on-field success hasn’t been there for him.” Toward the end of the piece, Eckardt notes, “it’s Rypien’s job to lose until the franchise makes a move.”
Indeed, there does seem to be some genuine confidence in Rypien despite the modest background. The Vikings, quite possibly, believe that they’re pushing the backup quarterback to new heights, supporting and developing him in a manner that makes him a strong depth option.
Last season, Sam Darnold turned his career around with the Vikings, proving capable of being an NFL QB1 within the support that Minnesota had to offer. Is it that far-fetched to suggest that Rypien could be a passable QB2? Or, perhaps, is that underselling it? Could Rypien even be a strong QB2?
The reason for optimism that flows over from Adofo-Mensah’s words are simply the description of Brett Rypien’s ability to process quickly alongside his ability to deliver the ball accurately. In the Kevin O’Connell offense, those are the two main abilities: brains and accuracy. Possessing those two attributes alongside being someone who can help to mentor and compete with McCarthy would mean that Rypien is indeed a strong backup.
At the end of the day, actions always speak louder than words in the NFL. If Minnesota decides to add someone to the QB room for a good chunk of money — Drew Lock, perhaps — then we’ll know that the Vikings truly believe Rypien is better suited to being a QB3. If, however, an addition comes in at a bargain-level salary, then we’ll similarly gain more clarity about the franchise’s belief about Rypien.
Make no mistake: it’s only a matter of time before another quarterback joins the team. The only uncertainty rests in when that will happen and how much that quarterback will demand on his contract. As Eckardt elsewhere suggests, look for after the 2025 NFL Draft as a likely time for an addition.
Minnesota is sitting on close to $20 million in cap space. Brett Rypien is demanding just $1,055,000 on the budget.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
