Vikings OC Drops Hint about the ‘Other’ QB
Who’s it going to be? J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz? One of those men will likely start at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7, but according to offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, QB3 Max Brosmer will be ready, too.
Max Brosmer continues to fascinate Vikings fans, and thanks to offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, there’s a Brosmer update for the masses.
Phillips spoke to reporters on Tuesday and pumped up Brosmer’s preparation, the latest example in a rather lengthy hype train for the rookie dating back to early August.
Vikings QB3 Max Brosmer Gets a Little Love from Wes Phillips
Brosmer could end up having a role if injuries continue.
Max Brosmer Is Ready, Says Wes Phillips
If the Vikings need Brosmer — in any capacity — the dude is ready, according to one of the men who schemes the offense.
“Nobody is going to question Max’s preparation going into any football game. 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,” Phillips told reporters Tuesday, five days before the Vikings host the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Brosmer mention caught some folks off guard because so far this week has been a question mark between McCarthy and Wentz.
Two Injured QBs Aside from Brosmer
McCarthy, the team’s QB1, suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2 and has since navigated a recovery. He may or may not be ready for Week 7, a determination that should be announced on Friday, two days before the game against Philadelphia.
And in Week 5, Carson Wentz, the QB2, injured his shoulder on a scamper in London. He remained in the game and even dimed a game-winning pass to Jordan Addison, but after the contest and during the subsequent bye week, Wentz was evidently “pretty sore,” according to head coach Kevin O’Connell.
One man should be healthy enough to start on Sunday, but if that theory is incorrect, Brosmer and his extreme preparation, as mentioned by Phillips, will be chomping at the bit for his first-ever start.
Already Two Appearances
Not for nothing, Brosmer has already seen brief action in two regular season games this year.
The Vikings disembowelled the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3, handing that franchise its worst loss per score margin of all time. Brosmer saw the field in garbage time, which was really just a preseason simulation situation.
Two weeks later, when Wentz dinged the aforementioned shoulder, Brosmer entered the London game to kneel the ball before halftime. So, yes — there are miniature hints from Brosmer already in 2025.
Week 7 Remains a Long Shot
A lot would have to go poorly at practice this week in Eagan for Minnesota to nominate Brosmer as the starting quarterback on Sunday. Between the two of them, McCarthy and Wentz, one is likely to be durable enough to play.
Still, if Brosmer were to see action as a rookie — more than garbage time and kneeldowns — this is precisely how the stars would align. Two hobbled passers, leaving Minnesota nowhere to turn beside an undrafted rookie.
During the preseason, Brosmer looked absolutely poised and phenomenal, nudging some fans to become intrigued with his “Brock Purdy-like” upside and storyline arc in O’Connell’s system.
More on Brosmer, Vikings QBs
Our Kyle Joudry mentioned Brosmer and Minnesota’s quarterbacks this week: “Sitting at QB3 is Max Brosmer, a young arm who is inspiring optimism. Do note, however, that the optimism needs to be kept within its proper lane. The goal with Brosmer is to develop the undrafted passer. Doing so means working with him in practice and having him active during games.”
“The main objective, though, is to slowly develop Brosmer without needing him to get onto the field. Send him out there in a situation like in Week 3 when Minnesota was eviscerating Cincinnati. What about needing him to lead the team against the defending Super Bowl champions? That’s less than ideal. Carson Wentz has a shoulder that isn’t fully right. Likewise, J.J. McCarthy is moving in a reasonably positive direction.”
Brosmer is basically bright and shiny right now due to his clean bill of health.
Joudry continued, “The issue is simply that he’s not yet at perfect health, presumably making a re-injury more likely. Add up the pair of injuries and there are a pair of passers who aren’t fully healed as Week 7 nears. Just how risky is that for the 3-2 Vikings? Maybe the game occurs and there are no new developments for roster health. Everyone walks in healthy (or close to healthy) and walks out in a similar condition.”
“That’s obviously the goal. Seeing McCarthy and Wentz still working on getting healthy leaves the Vikings in a precarious spot, however, especially given the recent cut for Desmond Ridder.“
If Brosmer ever does start a game in purple, fans certainly won’t hate the experiment. He has the University of Minnesota angle going for him, his alma mater.
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