Entering the 2025 season, the Minnesota Vikings seemed set at quarterback.
J.J. McCarthy had shown promise all training camp and the team signed Carson Wentz to be their veteran backup.
However, with McCarthy sidelined with a high ankle sprain, Wentz has gone 2-2 as the team’s starter and is dealing with a shoulder injury.
That didn’t stop Kevin O’Connell from dialing up 42 pass attempts for Wentz in a Week 7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Wentz’s judgement and accuracy proved questionable throughout the game, which saw him throw an intereception in the red zone and a pick-six in the second quarter.
As Vikings fans await McCarthy’s return ahead of a “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad, formerly of the Minnesota Star Tribune, has suggested the question that was once unthinkable: should the Vikings start undrafted rookie quarterback Max Brosmer?
“The Vikings remain hopeful that McCarthy is the guy whom they can eventually reward with a big contract,” Zulgad wrote on his Substack. “But if McCarthy isn’t ready to play Thursday — and given how Wentz performed Sunday — is suggesting Brosmer to start really that big of a stretch? After watching Wetnz against the Eagles, I’m not sure it is.”
Vikings Coach Tipped Hat to Max Brosmer Starting Previously
Undrafted out of Minnesota, Brosmer signed with the Vikings in the offseason and won a backup role over Sam Howell and Brett Rypien. The Vikings parted ways with both veteran quarterbacks before signing Wentz, cementing their quarterback room entering the season.
However, with McCarthy’s hampered, Brosmer has served as the No. 2 quarterback and has been a snap away from playing.
Brosmer played 12 snaps in the Vikings’ blowout win over the Cinncinati Bengals and also relieved Wentz for a play in Week 5.
Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips offered high praise of Brosmer coming off the bye, sharing his confidence if Brosmer were deemed the starter.
“Nobody is going to question Max’s preparation going into any football game,” Phillips said. “No matter if he’s supposed to be the emergency 3, or the 2, or if he was going in as a starter. We all feel great about, intangibly, everything Max brings.”
Vikings’ Carson Wentz, J.J. McCarthy Decision Still Undecided
While the Vikings are still searching for when McCarthy may return to the field, there more pressing questions have been week-to-week on who will play given the injury bug that’s hit the quarterback room.
After a loss to the Eagles on Sunday, O’Connell admitted that his purview is purely on who will be under center on Thursday when the Vikings face the Chargers.
“We’ve got to see how he [Wentz] comes out health-wise. I know Max [Brosmer] was ready to go today,” O’Connell said. “We will see how [McCarthy] feels as well. On a short week, we are gonna put together the best plan we can, and that also includes the players available to us.”
According to numerous media outlets, national and local, Wentz seems in line to make his fifth start for the Vikings after arguably his worst performance of the season.
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