Our Quarterbacks
These are my thoughts after a very limited sample of exhibition game action. All thoughts to be served with a grain of salt!
Kyler - he looked about like I expected. Didn't set the world on fire, but he can deliver the ball when he needs to. I think KOC went run heavy to avoid contact for his #1, no need to put him in harm's way for a nothing game. He needs all those #1 camp reps to get better timing down with his targets and keep learning this offense. He should look better as the season goes on and that stuff settles in.
JJM - well surprisingly I thought he looked better in one area, which was delivering the ball on time from a clean pocket. Last year he struggled even with that. His accuracy is still suspect but again, maybe a little better from a clean pocket.
The problem is when he's under pressure. He honestly to me looks like he might have regressed and he was already really bad. His go-to move when it turns chaotic is a sidearm sling from his upper body, with no base or discernable footwork at all. This is going to be an off-target ball or an interception 90% of the time in the NFL.
I don't know how you fix that, even if he were playing all the games and he's likely to just be practicing. I maintain that the best thing for him would be to go play in the CFL or USFL where he could get constant live reps for some team and learn to play under pressure. If that learning is possible, I don't know if it is.
Carson - was exactly what I expected. This guy can look like an all-pro on one play and a total dud on the next. He is a roller coaster and it's not game to game or even half to half or series to series, it's like every other play. He's good enough to backup but he's not leading anyone to a title if he has to take over a season for an injured guy. Right now I'd put him slightly above JJ for #2 but honestly that is only because he can in fact deliver under pressure more often than JJ and has a ton of experience in the NFL.
Max Gopher - ya gotta love our little Golden Gopher but he seems somewhat snakebitten. He gets in a game and throws the underhanded pick six in Seattle, or has 3 net yards passing against Detroit, or plays one series today and goes out with an injury. I think he eventually will do a KOC path and become a QB coach somewhere. I like him but I don't think he's destined to even be a backup in the NFL.
I'm good with Wentz on the roster.
He at least knows the playbook for us...He says he's way more comfortable now vs y.ago.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
It’s preseason and very small sample sizes, so I just hope as many players can remain healthy as possible. Otherwise, not much to glean from preseason…
For instance….these are the passer ratings for the rookie QBs, lmao. As you can imagine, the online X fanboys are already printing Super Bowl tickets and the media has already crowned them:
Rookie QBs passer rating through 1 game
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 15, 2026
Drew Allar: 154.8
Carson Beck: 125.4
Ty Simpson: 125.0
Fernando Mendoza: 100.3
Haynes King: 95.2
Cade Klubnik: 94.9
Jalon Daniels: 88.5
Garrett Nussmeier: 80.6 pic.twitter.com/sfaVPeh376
comet52 wrote:
These are my thoughts after a very limited sample of exhibition game action. All thoughts to be served with a grain of salt!Kyler - he looked about like I expected. Didn't set the world on fire, but he can deliver the ball when he needs to. I think KOC went run heavy to avoid contact for his #1, no need to put him in harm's way for a nothing game. He needs all those #1 camp reps to get better timing down with his targets and keep learning this offense. He should look better as the season goes on and that stuff settles in.JJM - well surprisingly I thought he looked better in one area, which was delivering the ball on time from a clean pocket. Last year he struggled even with that. His accuracy is still suspect but again, maybe a little better from a clean pocket.The problem is when he's under pressure. He honestly to me looks like he might have regressed and he was already really bad. His go-to move when it turns chaotic is a sidearm sling from his upper body, with no base or discernable footwork at all. This is going to be an off-target ball or an interception 90% of the time in the NFL.I don't know how you fix that, even if he were playing all the games and he's likely to just be practicing. I maintain that the best thing for him would be to go play in the CFL or USFL where he could get constant live reps for some team and learn to play under pressure. If that learning is possible, I don't know if it is.Carson - was exactly what I expected. This guy can look like an all-pro on one play and a total dud on the next. He is a roller coaster and it's not game to game or even half to half or series to series, it's like every other play. He's good enough to backup but he's not leading anyone to a title if he has to take over a season for an injured guy. Right now I'd put him slightly above JJ for #2 but honestly that is only because he can in fact deliver under pressure more often than JJ and has a ton of experience in the NFL.Max Gopher - ya gotta love our little Golden Gopher but he seems somewhat snakebitten. He gets in a game and throws the underhanded pick six in Seattle, or has 3 net yards passing against Detroit, or plays one series today and goes out with an injury. I think he eventually will do a KOC path and become a QB coach somewhere. I like him but I don't think he's destined to even be a backup in the NFL.
I'd call this a pretty fair assessment from my perspective as well. Im not sure from that initial run heavy drive if KM is the man or not, need more, a lot more, to say we have a legit QB1. Wentz looked the best IMO, but he was seeing their 3s so...
I would say move Wentz to 2 and let him compete at times with KM. KM still needs all the reps he can handle, but Wentz is clearly better than JJM. If the season goes to shit, then elevate JJM and let him figure shit out, or go down in flames on the field.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
StickierBuns wrote:
It’s preseason and very small sample sizes, so I just hope as many players can remain healthy as possible. Otherwise, not much to glean from preseason…
For instance….these are the passer ratings for the rookie QBs, lmao. As you can imagine, the online X fanboys are already printing Super Bowl tickets and the media has already crowned them:
https://x.com/underdognfl/status/2088771904282751476?s=46&t=ohFAAgt56m6anXyDpx1btQ
JJ McCarthy's passer rating against the Raiders in 2024: 116.8
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."
—George Orwell
purplefaithful wrote:
I'm good with Wentz on the roster.
He at least knows the playbook for us...He says he's way more comfortable now vs y.ago.
I'm happy we have him. I'm just no longer convinced he's happy as a clam being QB3. It's interesting to me that QB1 and QB3 grew up Viking fans. Not just casual fans either, but jersey-wearing, purple-bleeding, cry-when-they-lose fans.
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."
—George Orwell
MaroonBells wrote:
JJ McCarthy's passer rating against the Raiders in 2024: 116.8
Yep….. we enjoy our football here on the board, of course, but preseason really tells you absolutely nothing about what kind of player they will end up being.
StickierBuns wrote:
Yep….. we enjoy our football here on the board, of course, but preseason really tells you absolutely nothing about what kind of player they will end up being.
Ty Simpson might be legit lol!
I liked the first team offense running game
D rooks reminded that its not just QB's that take time to find their footing.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
I was very hard on Carson Wentz last season, but after getting the details of what he played through last year and seeing his consistency so far every day of camp, I have a ton of respect for 11. pic.twitter.com/FfbuFODKS0
— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) August 16, 2026
LIVE WELL ~ LOVE MUCH ~ LAUGH OFTEN
I just want to know what the #@$# happened to this guy?
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."
—George Orwell
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