The Minnesota Vikings may not be finished rehauling their quarterback room despite every member turning in promising performances in the preseason opener.
The signal caller with the most to prove was Sam Howell. He had struggled throughout training camp; granted, he was facing the first-team defense’s vaunted front seven for the majority of camp.
On Saturday, Howell moved the offense efficiently against the Houston Texans backups, completing 11 of 13 pass attempts for 105 yards. His 100.3 passer rating suggests he has saved face.
However, Minnesota Star Tribune beat reporter Ben Goessling could still see the Vikings striking a deal with another backup if the right candidate arose.
“They traded for Nick Mullens after the first preseason game in 2022 when they weren’t comfortable with their depth behind Kirk Cousins, and if they find another backup they like, I could see them making a deal in the next few weeks,” Goessling wrote in an August 12 mailbag.
As teams across the league are getting a better picture of what their 53-man roster may look like, more quarterbacks will become available in the coming weeks.
However, few quarterbacks who will be released ahead of the season would be convincingly better than Howell. A trade is the more promising venture and worthwhile if the Vikings can land a backup to McCarthy for multiple years.
“Howell is a free agent after this season, so it’s not as though he presents a long-term solution behind McCarthy without a new contract. Definitely worth keeping an eye on this one,” Goessling added.
Backup QB Battles for Vikings to Watch
GettyVikings quarterback Sam Howell
Across the league are several backup quarterback battles that could determine the market available to the Vikings if they wanted to trade for another backup to support McCarthy.
The Chicago Bears have intriguing options with fan favorite Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum vying for the No. 2 job behind Caleb Williams. Bagent has more upside at just 25 years old, but Keenum would be the better fit beyond the hype of a reunion.
Fittingly, Keenum plugged into a 2017 Vikings offense that was brimming with playmakers and helped lead the team to the NFC championship. He’s more than capable of picking up an offense on the fly and playing point guard.
With Daniel Jones pressing Anthony Richardson for the starting job in Indianapolis, Richardson remains a pipedream acquisition as well.
The Cleveland Browns‘ quarterback situation remains crowded and could see Kenny Pickett moved, given the team just invested picks into rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
Back in 2023 when Cousins went down with a season-ending Achilles injury, the Vikings pursued quarterback John Wolford as their first choice. Wolford declined but could see himself moved by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have Mullens slotted as their No. 2 quarterback behind Trevor Lawrence.
Jacoby Brissett and Clayton Tune‘s battle for QB2 of the Arizona Cardinals could also be territory for the Vikings to make a move.
Of course, the Vikings could hedge their bets internally with either Brett Rypien or rookie Max Brosmer.
J.J. McCarthy Poised for Proving Grounds in Patriots Joint Practices
GettyVikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy embarks on his first year as a starter entering the 2025 NFL season.
Kevin O’Connell’s greatest tool for evaluating his roster is upon us, as the New England Patriots visit the Vikings’ facilities for joint practices this week.
O’Connell has maintained the value of these practices, and no one will be under a microscope more than McCarthy, who only played one series in the preseason opener.
The heat will also be turned up on Howell. How both quarterbacks fare in joint practices could determine their playing time for the rest of the preseason.
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