Quarterback Swap

From the moment he was selected with the 10th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, J.J. McCarthy was going to be the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings in 2025. I believe nothing that Sam Darnold did last season or anything that may or may not have been discussed during the offseason ever swayed those plans. With a young starting quarterback, there’s a need for a veteran backup. The Vikings plans to fill that role started with a cursory check with Darnold. After the season he had, he was going to get a fabulous deal from some team to be their starting quarterback. He got that deal from the Seattle Seahawks. The Vikings then moved on to what was probably always the plan for a veteran backup quarterback, re-sign Daniel Jones. That plan was wrecked when the Indianapolis Colts offered him a chance to compete for the starting job. That wasn’t going to happen in Minnesota and Jones, not surprisingly, jumped at the chance to start for the Colts. So, the Vikings were left without a veteran backup quarterback. Despite all of the idiotic reports, that quarterback was never going to be Aaron Rodgers. So, who? Once Jones was out of the picture, Carson Wentz always felt like the best option. The Vikings certainly considered him but didn’t commit to any quarterback until the draft day trade that brought Sam Howell from the Seahawks. Fine. The cost and his year of starting experience with the Washington Commanders pretty much fits the role. The hope for a backup quarterback is that he never takes a meaningful snap. Everything was fine until Howell never showed the consistency hoped for from a backup quarterback. The quarterback that did show consistency and played the best behind McCarthy throughout the offseason, training camp, and preseason games was undrafted rookie Max Brosmer. 

The Vikings could not go into a season with a quarterback depth chart topped by two players that have combined for zero regular season snaps. Could they? The Vikings decided they couldn’t. Yesterday, they worked out Carson Wentz. Today, they signed him. The Vikings also traded Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles. I figured that Howell was going to be released. The fact that the Vikings got something for him is quite the bonus. 

The trade:

Vikings receive: 

2026 5th

2027 7th

Eagles receive:

Sam Howell

2026 6th

The whole Sam Howell experience feels like good football business by the Vikings. The draft day trade that brought Howell to Minnesota was a swap of fifth-round picks. They got him for as close to free as a football trade gets. In April, the Seahawks “gifted” Howell to the Vikings. In August, the Vikings received a 2026 fifth and a 2027 seventh for Howell and a 2026 sixth. In between, Howell never showed what they hoped. They also signed Carson Wentz for about what they were scheduled to pay Howell. Overall, it feels like the Vikings came out ahead in their roundabout search for a backup quarterback. Although, one could argue that the Vikings should’ve just signed Wentz from the beginning. Then, he could’ve been immersed in the offense for the entire offseason rather than taking a crash course in it. At least, he has some experience in a similar offense from when he was with the Los Angeles Rams. 

To complete the remake of the 2025 quarterback room, the Vikings also released Brett Rypien. Now, the depth chart at the all-important position looks like this.

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

A youngster with immense potential, a veteran that fits the system, and a rookie that’s impressed and looked nothing like an undrafted rookie. I like it. I just wish that the Vikings had gotten to this point much earlier. 

The next couple of days are going to be interesting as the Vikings whittle the roster down to 53 players. Maybe Brett Rypien can find his way back to the practice squad.