One Vikings Position Group Off to a Rough Start
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy produced a dazzling first week of training camp, but his buddies did not.
One key Vikings position group is struggling early at training camp, raising eyebrows about depth and readiness. Here’s the word so far and the long-term implications.
That’s the word from Eagan, as Minnesota kicked off training camp last week and will continue the adventure for the next nine days before a preseason meeting with the Houston Texans on August 9th.
To put it plainly, Sam Howell and Brett Rypien did not set the world on fire.
Vikings Reserve QBs Struggle Out of the Gate
Training camp is still young, so perhaps a turnaround is in order.
Vikings QBs Not Named J.J. McCarthy Off to Rocky Start
Most onlookers fixated on McCarthy — rightfully so — but in the backdrop, his cohort struggled.
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis explained, “Sam Howell has taken the majority of the backup QB reps. This makes sense. How can O’Connell and the Vikings assess what they have if they don’t throw him into the fire? And, to be clear, it is the fire, as most of Howell’s reps have been against the first-string defense.”
“The best way to sum up Howell’s performance is a beat too slow. Without the post-practice film, it’s impossible to assess each rep accurately. Is Howell taking a hitch because he’s not seeing the picture correctly, or is he waiting a split second extra because the receiver was rerouted by a cornerback?”
Minnesota traded for Howell during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Lewis added, “Whatever the case, it feels fair to say that Howell hasn’t consistently pulled the trigger promptly. More time against Flores’ defense should help. Howell now understands the challenge he faces. Also worth mentioning are Sam Darnold’s early struggles in training camp last year.”
“These are but tiny data points. As for the other quarterbacks, Max Brosmer’s accuracy is noticeable. Brett Rypien, who knows the offense better than the other quarterbacks, has been limited to a few reps.”
Hopefully, QB2 and QB3 Don’t Matter at All in 2025
Here’s the rub: Everyone should hope that Howell, Rypien, and Brosmer are meaningless in 2025 speak.
McCarthy missed all of his rookie campaign in 2024 due to a torn meniscus, paving the way for Sam Darnold to take over for one year. While it’s disappointing that Howell and Rypien haven’t stormed out of the gate at camp, that doesn’t really matter if McCarthy is cooking.
Training camp and everything else should be about McCarthy, McCarthy, and more McCarthy. In short, who cares about Howell or Rypien? They’re backups for a reason.
Sam Howell as the Insurance Policy to McCarthy
Howell tabulated almost 4,000 passing yards and 25 touchdowns as a QB1 in 2023 before an underwhelming stint in Seattle.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has proven he can thrive, to a degree, with just about any competent quarterback. Howell will come around. A player can’t throw for 3,946 passing yards in a single season by accident. O’Connell will empower if or when the time comes.
Alternatives if QBs Don’t Stabilize
If O’Connell decided he needed another backup quarterback but didn’t want to explore a trade, these men live on the free agent wire:
- C.J. Beathard
- Teddy Bridgewater
- Tyler Huntley
- Carson Wentz
That list essentially means a team should dial up Wentz and call it good. It’s also worth noting that the free-agent QB market will explode at the end of August when 1,100+ players get released from 90-man rosters.
Commanders-Themed Media Piles On
Some facets of Washington Commanders-themed media were quick to imply “I told you so” this week regarding Howell.
Dean Jones of RiggosRag.com wrote, “Reports suggest the North Carolina product has a lot of hard work ahead before this objective is achieved. The Vikings aren’t expecting Howell to be anything other than a backup. They’ve hitched their wagon to McCarthy, and confidence is growing with every outstanding practice he stacks up.”
“But if standards don’t improve, it’s not hard to see where the complications could arise for the ex-Commanders starter. Minnesota has Brett Rypien and Max Brosmer behind Howell. Not exactly world-beaters, but enough to keep the pressure on in the coming weeks.”
It’s just one week of training camp for Howell; the man has more than enough time to turn it around. After all, Minnesota’s offense is complex.
Jones continued, “These growing pains aren’t entirely surprising. At the same time, Howell has been around the franchise for a few months now and is working with Kevin O’Connell, the ex-Washington coach who’s widely regarded as one of the best quarterback developers in the game. The stakes are high for Howell.”
“This also happens to be the final year of his rookie deal. If he wants to stick around in Minnesota or potentially get another opportunity elsewhere in 2026, he must respond positively. Otherwise, the consequences will be severe.”
Also remember — if the Vikings’ 2025 campaign came down to a backup quarterback, well, the season would probably be toast anyway. See Sam Darnold’s faceplant when it mattered the most last year.
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