Brosmer relevant as QB3 or QB2?
Former Gophers QB Max Brosmer has stood out for the Vikings. Can he claim a roster spot?
Max Brosmer has played the most preseason snaps of any Vikings quarterback so far, and the door remains open for a roster spot.
Strib
With 1:46 on the clock and the Vikings trailing the Patriots by eight points Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium, rookie quarterback Max Brosmer, whose mindset-bearing wristband reads “Be where your feet are” and “One play at a time,” led the Vikings onto the field with 69 yards between them and the end zone.
“If a two-minute drive doesn’t let you play one play at a time, I’m not sure what does,” Brosmer said after the game. “You gotta just dink and dunk it all the way down the field.”
He did just that, mixing in longer throws, including a 25-yard completion to Jeshaun Jones that converted a fourth-and-17, en route to the Patriots’ 8-yard line.
Brosmer brought the Vikings to the brink of tying the game, but he couldn’t quite close it out in a 20-12 preseason loss to New England. A false start, incompletion and then an interception in the end zone ended the game.
But Brosmer, the 24-year-old former Gopher, has turned heads throughout training camp and now in both preseason games. He passed for 47 yards and a touchdown on 5-of-8 passing on just 19 snaps played in the fourth quarter against the Texans on Aug. 9.
He built on that Saturday, finishing two quarters of play 15-of-27 for 156 yards and that one interception. He was sacked four times for a total 33 yards lost, and faced obstacles in the form of a handful of procedural penalties against the Vikings.
Brosmer also added highlight-worthy throws and decisions to his résumé.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said the fourth-down conversion is an example of why Brosmer has seen the number of reps he has this preseason, even as the current fourth-string QB.
Tim Jones, who led the Vikings with five receptions for 68 yards Saturday, has been a frequent target for Brosmer in practices. They flashed that chemistry on seven connections, including a 22-yarder that helped move the final drive along.
“Every time he’s thrown to me, it’s been ... near perfect,” Jones said with a smile.
A year later, O’Connell saw Brosmer again, this time throwing as a Pro Day participant himself, and the Vikings signed him to an undrafted free agent deal in April.
O’Connell has lauded Brosmer from the start as “as smart as any young player. ... His ownership of the information kind of right on par.”
But Brosmer said Wednesday that when he first started working with O’Connell, it was like the coach was speaking “a foreign language.”
“Number one, it’s a new league. You’re playing in the NFL as opposed to college, and it’s completely new structures of defense,” Brosmer said. “But it’s also just how he talks about ball, how he thinks about it.”
That’s where the three other quarterbacks in the room, particularly Brett Rypien (also undrafted out of college in 2019), have come in handy. Brosmer said he peppers Rypien with questions, so much so the older QB probably wants to lock him up and throw away the key.
According to O’Connell, Brosmer and McCarthy are often the first and last people in the building, joking that quarterback coaches Josh McCown and Jordan Traylor must not be getting a lot of sleep thanks to the pair.
“Max is the man. Just super detail-oriented, works his butt off,” McCarthy said July 30. “I can’t say enough good things about that guy.”
Brosmer’s performance Saturday wasn’t perfect by any stretch. He still showed the growing pains of first-year pro. His second drive in particular was a struggle, and on some of the best chances the Vikings had to find the end zone — midway through the fourth quarter after Myles Price’s 81-yard kick return — Brosmer threw incomplete twice.
But the Vikings will have a decision to make about Brosmer in the next two weeks: Leave the rookie with local ties and potential off the 53-man roster and risk another team claiming him off waivers before he can be signed to the practice squad, or keep three quarterbacks on the active roster. It’s still not likely Brosmer would jump to No. 2.
There is a door open, though. Howell, the current No. 2, closed three drives Saturday 1-of-5 for 13 yards with an interception. The Vikings never played Rypien in the regular season last year, using him only as emergency third QB.
Brosmer said Saturday he doesn’t think about having something to prove to coaches or anyone. If bringing his best every single day doesn’t do the job, it’s not meant to be.
“There’s so much you can’t control,” Brosmer said. “If you just focus on yourself and control what you can control, you can rest on the outcome. You can be OK with the outcome.”
Brosmer’s demeanor postgame reflected that. He spoke with the same poise he did after sealing a win last week against the Texans.
“Whether that’s me playing in the NFL or not, I’ll be OK because of the work that I’ve put in,” he added. “If it’s good enough, it’s good enough.”
Greylock wrote:
It's hard to believe nobody took at least a late round flyer on him.
I almost think he had a better shot of making any team as UDFA than a sixth or seventh round pick.
Especially ending up at QBU with KOC.
No to QB2 this season...
It will be interesting to see if they try and PS him or if they carry 3 qb's on the 53.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
I think the odds of the Vikings trusting a rookie UDFA behind their bouncing baby QB are nearly zero. I think we found our young, developmental QB though. Our QB3 for 2025 and our future QB2. And that's exciting enough.
My concern is QB2. Every since the Vikings missed out on bringing in Sam, Rodgers, Daniel Jones, etc., I've felt they kinda missed the boat on getting the kind of experienced QB they really wanted behind JJ. Trading for Sam Howell did nothing to allay those concerns. I really don't think he's the QB2 they had in mind. In fact, one of my hot takes was that Rypien would beat him out. While I no longer believe that, I do think it's very possible the 2025 QB2 is not on the roster right now.
Brosmer has created a dilemma for them, because he most likely would get picked off PS, so they will need to make a decision between Howell and Rypien. I think Howell has by far the better physical tools, more game experience and higher ceiling, where as Rypien is probably more valuable in the QB room. They like Howell, they scouted him, targeted him In a trade during the draft and were very happy to get him. He flashed during the first preseason game and looked really bad yesterday, but that was Sam Darnold as well before last season. I think he definitely sticks as the the #2 with Brosmer the 3.
JR44 wrote:
Brosmer has created a dilemma for them, because he most likely would get picked off PS, so they will need to make a decision between Howell and Rypien. I think Howell has by far the better physical tools, more game experience and higher ceiling, where as Rypien is probably more valuable in the QB room. They like Howell, they scouted him, targeted him In a trade during the draft and were very happy to get him. He flashed during the first preseason game and looked really bad yesterday, but that was Sam Darnold as well before last season. I think he definitely sticks as the the #2 with Brosmer the 3.
The only time in Sam Howell's career he hasn't looked like dog shit, was in the Houston game last week. I'd be very nervous if he's our QB2.
MaroonBells wrote:
The only time in Sam Howell's career he hasn't looked like dog shit, was in the Houston game last week. I'd be very nervous if he's our QB2.
Wouldnt shock me if one of the 5 qb's in Cleveland ended-up in Eagan b4 the season starts.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
MaroonBells wrote:
I think the odds of the Vikings trusting a rookie UDFA behind their bouncing baby QB are nearly zero. I think we found our young, developmental QB though. Our QB3 for 2025 and our future QB2. And that's exciting enough.My concern is QB2. Every since the Vikings missed out on bringing in Sam, Rodgers, Daniel Jones, etc., I've felt they kinda missed the boat on getting the kind of experienced QB they really wanted behind JJ. Trading for Sam Howell did nothing to allay those concerns. I really don't think he's the QB2 they had in mind. In fact, one of my hot takes was that Rypien would beat him out. While I no longer believe that, I do think it's very possible the 2025 QB2 is not on the roster right now.
Jimmy G was cheap and was right there. Sigh. McVay signed him. I'm fine with Howell but yeah they I think they aimed for more and weren't able to get it done. Hopefully doesn't bite us.
pattersaur wrote:
Jimmy G was cheap and was right there. Sigh. McVay signed him. I'm fine with Howell but yeah they I think they aimed for more and weren't able to get it done. Hopefully doesn't bite us.
Jimmy G would've been good. Looking at depth charts, there's virtually nothing out there. Doesn't even appear to be anyone worth trading for. Mullens is QB2 in Jax and wouldn't really be any better than Howell. Cousins, of course, would be perfect, but that's a messy situation with money, trade comp, etc. And unless they love Easton Stick, and why would they, they really need a backup to Penix, given his injury history.
We might be stuck with Howell.
MaroonBells wrote:
Jimmy G would've been good. Looking at depth charts, there's virtually nothing out there. Doesn't even appear to be anyone worth trading for. Mullens is QB2 in Jax and wouldn't really be any better than Howell. Cousins, of course, would be perfect, but that's a messy situation with money, trade comp, etc. And unless they love Easton Stick, and why would they, they really need a backup to Penix, given his injury history.
We might be stuck with Howell.
The Giants may be willing to move Jameis Winston if they roll with Russ and Dart as their top 2 QBs.
He'd be a fit in terms of his physical ability. Can move a little like Darnold and has a big arm. Prone to turnovers, but he's played a lot of games. I'd be a little nervous with his personality but it sounds like he's matured from his earlier years.
From Andrew Krammer a the Strib on Monday morning, predicting the final roster after cut downs:
Quarterback (3)
J.J. McCarthy, Brett Rypien, Max Brosmer
Waived: Sam Howell
Coach Kevin O’Connell has praised Rypien’s knowledge of the offense and recently said a backup’s most important ability is to retain and execute the game plan at the drop of a hat without practice reps. It helps that Rypien looked better in Saturday’s exhibition against the Patriots. Howell did not fare well with a 0.0 passer rating. The former Commanders starter also has not looked consistently sharp in training camp. Given Brosmer’s ascension and continued praise from O’Connell, it’d appear there are three quarterbacks that the head coach would lean toward keeping on the current roster.
It’s worth noting that the NFL allows a No. 3 emergency quarterback to suit up for games and not count against the 48-player limit only if that passer is on the 53-man active roster.
Montana Tom wrote:
From Andrew Krammer a the Strib on Monday morning, predicting the final roster after cut downs:Quarterback (3)
J.J. McCarthy, Brett Rypien, Max BrosmerWaived: Sam Howell
Coach Kevin O’Connell has praised Rypien’s knowledge of the offense and recently said a backup’s most important ability is to retain and execute the game plan at the drop of a hat without practice reps. It helps that Rypien looked better in Saturday’s exhibition against the Patriots. Howell did not fare well with a 0.0 passer rating. The former Commanders starter also has not looked consistently sharp in training camp. Given Brosmer’s ascension and continued praise from O’Connell, it’d appear there are three quarterbacks that the head coach would lean toward keeping on the current roster.
It’s worth noting that the NFL allows a No. 3 emergency quarterback to suit up for games and not count against the 48-player limit only if that passer is on the 53-man active roster.
If they would waive Howell (I'm not convinced they will), then they could just keep JJ and Brosmer. I doubt Rypien would be picked up and they could just add him to the PS. Am I wrong in this?
PurplePastor wrote:
If they would waive Howell (I'm not convinced they will), then they could just keep JJ and Brosmer. I doubt Rypien would be picked up and they could just add him to the PS. Am I wrong in this?
Brosmer has looked good, but I'd be very surprised if they felt comfortable with a rookie UDFA as the first guy off the bench if something happened to their other, also very young, QB.
PurplePastor wrote:
If they would waive Howell (I'm not convinced they will), then they could just keep JJ and Brosmer. I doubt Rypien would be picked up and they could just add him to the PS. Am I wrong in this?
has to be on the 53 to be able to dress, even as the emergency back up that doesnt count against the game day active roster. seems silly not to carry that 3rd QB on the 53 when you have questions from the top on down at the position.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
Brosmer is still a developmental QB. He will be QB #3 at best. Big question is whether they bring someone in to replace Howell. I think they are probably having that conversation right now.
MAD GAINZ wrote:
The Giants may be willing to move Jameis Winston if they roll with Russ and Dart as their top 2 QBs.
He'd be a fit in terms of his physical ability. Can move a little like Darnold and has a big arm. Prone to turnovers, but he's played a lot of games. I'd be a little nervous with his personality but it sounds like he's matured from his earlier years.
SOURCE: Teams have made calls to the Giants to check on QB Jameis Winston’s availability. If rookie Jaxson Dart locks down the backup job, Winston could be elsewhere by Week 1.
MaroonBells wrote:
SOURCE: Teams have made calls to the Giants to check on QB Jameis Winston’s availability. If rookie Jaxson Dart locks down the backup job, Winston could be elsewhere by Week 1.
I may need to borrow Wets puke emoji....
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
comet52 wrote:
I like the kid. A lot better than I like Sam Howell who seems like the second coming of Nick Mullens.
Whoaaaaaa, do I ever disagree with you Comet. Yes, Mullens had the pick yips year before last, but he had to spell Darnold a couple of times last year and he proved to be Mr. Reliable...he did not miss a completion (was it one or two passes attempted).
But you felt like he could come off the bench and complete a pass.
Howell's toss of that wounded duck for a pick last Saturday had no GPS tracking it. If that's what he's prone to doing, I want no part of him as QB2.
Montana Tom wrote:
Whoaaaaaa, do I ever disagree with you Comet. Yes, Mullens had the pick yips year before last, but he had to spell Darnold a couple of times last year and he proved to be Mr. Reliable...he did not miss a completion (was it one or two passes attempted).
But you felt like he could come off the bench and complete a pass.
Howell's toss of that wounded duck for a pick last Saturday had no GPS tracking it. If that's what he's prone to doing, I want no part of him as QB2.
It wasn't the wounded duck that bothered me. It was the decision to throw it in the first place. Howell is prone to making bad decisions like that. I really hope the team is considering other options.
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