The main competitions in Minnesota’s training camp and the preseason are expected to be between left guards Blake Brandel and Donovan Jackson, wideouts Jalen Nailor and Tai Felton, and cornerbacks Isaiah Rodgers, Mekhi Blackmon, and Jeff Odudah.
There’s An Unforeseen Roster Battle in Vikings’ Summer Plans
The winners of those matchups will compete in Week 1 and beyond and play heavy snaps in the 2025 season.
Another crucial spot for any team, but one that folks hope will never see the field, is that of the backup quarterback. Much has been written and said throughout the offseason about Minnesota’s QB position, with Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins, among many others, entering the Rumorville.
Ultimately, the club stuck with J.J. McCarthy at the starting job and traded for Sam Howell, after weeks of speculation about acquiring another passer. The former Commander and Seahawk joined the room with McCarthy, last year’s QB3 Brett Rypien, and UDFA Max Brosmer.
Most expect Howell to back up McCarthy, Rypien to be QB3 once again, and Brosmer is the odd man out, with a chance for a practice squad spot.
But not so fast, says one local Vikings reporter. Darren Wolfson appeared on Skor North’s Minnesota Sports with Mackey and Judd.
He said, “I’m telling you, that’s a legit battle. Brett Rypien v Sam Howell. To think it’s 100% foregone conclusion that Sam Howell is the next man up? No. Hold your horses. That’s a legit battle, July into August, Howell versus Rypien.”
It’s noteworthy that the Vikings didn’t make much on an investment in either passer. Howell cost 30 spots in a pick swap on day three of the draft, and Rypien was available to re-sign with the club in January for only $1.055 million. Howell is in the final year of his rookie contract, with a cap number of $1.1 million.
Of course, we’re not talking about a release, but the lack of investment that had to be made to bring them to the Twin Cities implies that there isn’t anything secured for either of them. If they had signed, let’s say, Joe Flacco for $5 million, that would have been a sure-fire QB2. Just over a million dollars and a few draft slots? That’s nothing in the NFL world.
Because McCarthy has never taken a snap in an NFL game beyond the preseason and he is coming off a severe knee injury, that QB2 gig in Minnesota is actually quite intriguing from a QB perspective. Rypien or Howell are just one wrong step or a couple of subpar performances away from suddenly seeing NFL action.
Wolfson noted that Howell would be the favorite to win the job. Still, it could be a position to watch in training camp and the preseason.
Brett Rypien
Rypien, the nephew of former NFL QB Mark, a Super Bowl MVP, went undrafted out of Boise State in 2019. A productive player with over 13,000 passing yards and 90 scores to 29 interceptions, he did enough to earn a contract with the Denver Broncos following the draft, preferring the AFC franchise over numerous other offers.
For two seasons, he moved between the practice squad and the 53-man roster various times. In his third year, he finally had more consistency and was part of the 53-man roster all year. His 2023 campaign was the normal life of a journeyman, spending some time with the Rams, Jets, and Seahawks, and in 2024, he was with the Bears in the preseason and joined the Vikings after his release. Minnesota surprisingly cut sophomore passer Jaren Hall to make room for him.
About two months ago, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said about him: “Brett Rypien, [is] somebody we brought in last offseason, we thought [he] made a lot of great decisions, quick decision-making, processing, better athlete than people give him credit for, accurate passer, so we’re excited about him.”
In his NFL career, Rypien started four games (he appeared in ten), completing 98 of 168 passes (58.3) for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and an alarming number of nine interceptions. He has yet to see the field for the Vikings.
Sam Howell
Howell was a highly-touted college quarterback who even got some first-round buzz coming out of North Carolina in the underwhelming 2022 QB class. However, he dropped all the way to the fifth round, where the Commanders pulled the trigger.
In year one, he was a backup and started only one game. His sophomore campaign was when he gained most of his NFL experience, as he started all 17 games and led the league in pass attempts. Last year, he was traded to Seattle and subbed in for Geno Smith a couple of times.
Throughout his first three seasons (18 starts, 20 games played), Howell threw for 4,139 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions. He added another 300 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
