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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vikes Views: Who Should be QB2?
The Minnesota Vikings are pretty set with J.J. McCarthy as QB1 on their depth chart. The spots behind that are not so simple. It's possible all three QBs behind McCarthy will remain on the roster, but the order isn't certain. Howell hasn't played well, Rypien has had limited time and Brosmer looks good. Who do you think the team should put at QB2? Should Kwesi be looking outside organization for an upgrade? Sam Howell Howell is the most experienced of the group. He was the starter for the Washington Commanders for the 2023 season. The team went 4-13 as Howell passed for 3,946 yards, 21 TDs and 21 INTs. Howell spent last year backing up Geno Smith in Seattle. This preseason Howell is 12 for 18 for 118 yards and 1 mindnumbing INT. Brett Rypien Rypien has spent some time with the Broncos in the Rams. He started 4 games with a 2-2 record. This preseason he is 7 for 11 with 83 yards, playing the 2nd quarter of the New England game. He was better than Howell, but that was a low bar. KOC appreciated the way he ran the offense. Rypien might be a good selection as the emergency QB. Max Brosmer The undrafted rookie out of The University of Minnesota is an immediate fan favorite. He's only increased that love with his play. He's 20 for 35 for 203 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. Coaches are raving about Brosmer's work ethic and his anticipation. He's in serious contention for the QB2 spot with Howell playing poorly in Game 2. The door is open for Brosmer to make an impact.
New York Times
30-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Vikings 53-man roster projection: Where do things stand after the first week of camp?
EAGAN, Minn. — Not even the players have hidden their optimism about this Minnesota Vikings roster. It's loaded. There aren't many weak points. That'll become even more apparent once the preseason begins. That won't happen until next week, but because the pads are back on and because the team has been practicing for a week, we thought it'd be the perfect time to pull together a 53-man roster projection. Who has stood out? What are the Vikings' plans at quarterback, running back, cornerback and elsewhere? Advertisement Let's dive in. In: J.J. McCarthy, Brett Rypien Out: Sam Howell, Max Brosmer Saturday was McCarthy's best practice. He commanded the red zone period like a vet: no turnovers, some flamethrowers, a couple of smart throwaways. Tuesday might've been McCarthy's worst. He wasn't as pinpoint with his passing, especially in the red zone. Coach Kevin O'Connell has said the path won't be linear. The Vikings are also doing everything they can — with offensive design and external messaging — to put less responsibility on McCarthy. The backup situation is fluid. Howell performed better throughout the majority of Monday's practice, but then a throw into traffic resulted in a tipped interception. Rypien must prove he can be consistently accurate to earn the job, and it's always possible Minnesota could look externally. Brosmer's confidence and consistency are nothing to scoff at, either. The rookie has been rock solid and would be a shoo-in as a practice-squad candidate. Things we love to see 👇 — Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) July 29, 2025 In: Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Zavier Scott, C.J. Ham Out: Ty Chandler, Tre Stewart This is one of the boldest choices. Scott, an undrafted product from UConn and Maine, has held his own with the backups as a pass catcher and runner. Does he have the top-end speed of Chandler? Doubtful. Does he have the experience? No. But this is more an evaluation of the first week, and Scott hasn't left much on the table. He'll likely receive ample opportunities in the preseason, which will give him further chances at staking a claim to a roster spot. As for Jones and Mason, the former looks like a Mercedes S-Class, and the latter looks like a Ford F-250. Both are useful, depending on the circumstances. Jones has taken more snaps with the first team, but not by a wide margin. Advertisement In: T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Ben Yurosek Out: Gavin Bartholomew, Bryson Nesbit, Giovanni Ricci Yurosek went undrafted, but plenty of teams sought his services. Minnesota offered the best opportunity. His signing now seems essential with the news that Bartholomew could be out long enough to halt any momentum he had from camp. Yurosek snatched a pass in traffic during Saturday's red zone period. He blocked admirably in one-on-one drills Monday. The No. 3 tight end conversation might feel insignificant, but this is a team that will likely deploy lots of two-tight end sets to ignite the run game. Any injury to Hockenson or Oliver would place a hefty burden on Yurosek. In: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Tai Felton, Lucky Jackson, Silas Bolden Out: Rondale Moore, Jeshaun Jones, Tim Jones, Dontae Fleming, Thayer Thomas, Myles Price, Robert Lewis Four spots are secure: Jefferson, Addison, Nailor and Felton. The rest of the group is in a heated competition for what could be two backup roles. Moore isn't a given. The Vikings only guaranteed him $250,000, a sensible deal given Moore's rehab from last fall's serious knee injury. His shiftiness still shows up, but learning O'Connell's offense in sped-up fashion is no easy task. Jackson and Jeshaun Jones have the most experience, and each has had a good camp. Bolden's returning ability keeps him in play, and Fleming's range wowed the crowd Monday on a deep ball from Howell. May the best men win. In: Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Brian O'Neill, Justin Skule, Blake Brandel, Michael Jurgens, Walter Rouse Out: Joe Huber, Logan Brown, Zeke Correll, Henry Byrd, Vershon Lee, Leroy Watson IV, Marcellus Johnson No surprises here. Jackson has taken all of the first-team reps at left guard, and center Ryan Kelly complimented his play Monday. Darrisaw and Fries, who participated in team drills for the first time Monday, are both progressing nicely. Advertisement Skule had a rough go against Jonathan Greenard during that practice, but few tackles in the NFL would have a good shot against Greenard with the way he looks. Brandel's versatility and experience give the coaching staff insurance, but the importance of health for this group cannot be overstated. With injuries to Darrisaw, Jackson, Kelly, Fries or O'Neill, so much of what the Vikings want to do — run the football, give McCarthy time — will topple like a Jenga tower. In: Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Harrison Phillips, Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins Out: Jonathan Harris, Taki Taimani, Travis Bell, Elijah Williams, Alexander Musch Williams Monday's practice tape probably energized the interior defensive line position group. On the rewatch, Allen and Hargrave could view the damage they inflicted on the Vikings' first-team offense. Pushing the pocket isn't an apt description. They squeezed McCarthy's space like they were boa constrictors. It was the practice period embodiment of what they might be capable of. Why not use this space to complement the job defensive line coach Marcus Dixon has done in his year-plus with the team? Minnesota's interior defenders stifled run games last season. This group — down to Rodriguez, Ingram-Dawkins, Harris and Elijah Williams — has its collective hair on fire. In: Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Bo Richter, Gabriel Murphy Out: Chaz Chambliss, Tyler Batty Nationally, nobody talks about Greenard, but he's having the best camp among Vikings players. When Darrisaw returns to full participation in the team periods, the organization's entertainment staff should film their battles and pitch them as a new version of 'Clash of the Titans.' Elsewhere, Turner may have had his best practice as a pro on Monday. He eviscerated the backups. His explosion is undeniable. The only remaining question is how Flores will play him with so many other chess pieces at his disposal. Advertisement Neither Richter nor Murphy has dominant traits, but they produce in their specific roles. Richter became a demon on special teams last year, and Murphy's athleticism flashes from time to time late in these afternoons. Chambliss and Batty are both practice-squad candidates. In: Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr., Eric Wilson, Kobe King Out: Brian Asamoah II, Austin Keys, Dorian Mausi, Max Tooley Will the Vikings keep five linebackers? A fair question. Cashman, Pace, Wilson and King are locks. Asamoah has carved out a voice on special teams, but his defensive snaps have been minimal. Depending on the talent at other positions, Minnesota could keep this room lean to provide cushion elsewhere. In: Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Jeff Okudah, Mekhi Blackmon, Dwight McGlothern, Zemaiah Vaughn Out: Reddy Steward, Ambry Thomas, Kahlef Hailassie, Keenan Garber Blackmon and McGlothern are finding their footing. McGlothern was draped over defenders Monday in a way that was reminiscent of his first impression last fall. Blackmon practiced with the first unit Monday with Rodgers sidelined. Any serious injury to Murphy, Rodgers or Okudah could force general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's hand on a trade or free-agent acquisition. Steward, Thomas and Hailassie have held their own, but Vaughn, a Utah product and undrafted free agent, has been the most intriguing corner lower on the depth chart. In: Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, Tavierre Thomas Out: Mishael Powell Last year, Flores utilized three-safety personnel groupings on nearly 75 percent of snaps. Will that continue without Cam Bynum? If so, will the Vikings rely on cornerbacks like Murphy and Rodgers? If the Vikings opt to use three cornerbacks (Murphy, Rodgers and Okudah), what will that mean for their safety usage? And would Flores entertain more dime personnel (six defensive backs)? He wasn't afraid to roll this out in 2024, especially on third down. Advertisement One interesting additional layer is how creative Flores will get with where he lines up Metellus and Jackson. Last year, Metellus played only 90 snaps at traditional safety. Flores preferred him in the box. Will that change, knowing Metellus may not have to cover as long from depth with the improved pass rush? Time will tell. In: Will Reichard, Ryan Wright, Andrew DePaola Out (international player pathway program): Oscar Chapman The real question here is at punter. Wright and Chapman went mano a mano early in Monday's practice, and neither flinched. Chapman booted the ball with varying spins, including one that rotated in a more east-west fashion. Bolden muffed it. Wright was consistent and pinpoint with his control. It was a good sign considering his struggles with precision in recent years. (Photo of Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner and Jonathan Greenard: Matt Krohn / Imagn Images)
