Vikings Get Concerning QB Update on McCarthy Plan

The Minnesota Vikings‘ backup plan to J.J. McCarthy isn’t going, well, according to plan.

It is just four days into training camp, but Sam Howell has struggled considerably against the first-team defense — leading to concern about whether Howell can execute Kevin O’Connell‘s offense if McCarthy were to miss time.

“Another tough day for Sam Howell,” Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller said on July 27, adding that it is still early in training camp. “But it was bad. …  My biggest issue with Howell is when he played for Washington, he led the league in sacks, and he’s really struggled to get the football out. When he throws it, it’s not like it’s been way off when he’s actually thrown it, but he’s not throwing it.”

If Howell does not shape up, the pressure will be even more on McCarthy to carry this team with few viable replacement options available at this stage of the season.

The  Pressure is on Vikings QB Sam Howell

Getty| Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Howell.

 

A 2022 fifth-round pick, Howell started the entire 2023 season for a Commanders team that bottomed out and eventually landed Jayden Daniels in the following year’s draft.

Washington was often playing from behind and left Howell in poor situations, leading to Howell attempting the most passes in the league and subsequently the most sacks (65) and interceptions (21).

While Coller isn’t ringing any alarms just yet, Howell’s struggles in camp are becoming a trend early, which could call for the Vikings to explore other options.

“I think that the heat got turned up on Sam Howell over these last couple of days because it just has been such a struggle,” Coller added.

Vikings’ QB3 Battle Update

While Howell has struggled, the quarterbacks behind him, although facing backups, haven’t shown the same issues with getting the ball out effectively.

Coller said that rookie Max Brosmer, out of Minnesota, looked notably good, turning the third quarterback spot into a serious camp battle with Brett Rypien this summer.

However, Howell remains largely in competition with himself, and it hasn’t gone well.

“They weren’t facing the number one defense, but every at every turn, Brosmer gets out there, he seems to do something well,” Coller said. “So I think [QB3] still remains a competition and in the competition through the first portion of these practices of Sam Howell versus himself, it has not gone that well for Sam Howell.”

The quarterback market is all but depleted, which could require the Vikings to seek out a trade if Howell cannot rise to the standards needed of him.

However, O’Connell is invested in the process of developing his quarterback room, which will likely be seen through to the first preseason game on Saturday, August 9.

“We still think that there’s a lot in Sam’s game to develop but also see where he can take it within our system, within our quarterback development plan here in Minnesota,” O’Connell said when the Vikings traded the Seattle Seahawks for Howell in April’s draft. “[We] feel really good about Josh McCown [coaching] that quarterbacks room, and all the talent, and the things we’ve acquired – whether [it’s] up front; the skill guys we do have that we feel so great about, and then just our system going into Year 4, the evolution of that becoming as quarterback friendly as we can make it, while also challenging defenses and trying to do the things that it takes to win football games.