Minnesota Vikings: Taylor Heinicke wins quarterback battle

When the Minnesota Vikings released 5th year quarterback Mike Kafka with a injury designation today, it marked the team’s decision to move forward with former undrafted quarterback Taylor Heinicke out of Old Dominion.

Kafka’s hamstring injury made it unlikely that he would be participating in the preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday. Because of that it was likely that the Minnesota Vikings made up their mind quicker than expected regarding the quarterback competition for the third quarterback spot. Thursday’s game against the Titans should feature a healthy dose of Heinicke, as it is expected that Teddy Bridgewater will not be active and Shaun Hill should only see a small amount of work, if any.

Taylor Heinicke has been pretty solid for the Minnesota Vikings during his rookie campaign, posting some solid numbers. Here are his stats so far this preseason:

Aug 29, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Taylor Heinicke (6) scrambles against Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle

Jack Crawford

and defensive end Ryan Russell (99) at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Pass Attempts: 41

Pass Completions: 30

Completion Percentage: 73.2%

Yards Per Attempt: 5.8

Touchdowns: 0

Interceptions: 1

Quarterback Rating: 77.0

Carries: 12

Rushing Yards: 14

At this point, it isn’t known whether or not Taylor Heinicke will be a part of the 53 man roster or if the team will attempt to place him on the practice squad, where they can elevate him in the event of an injury.

Historically, the Minnesota Vikings have been a team that has kept at least 3 quarterbacks on their roster (4 if you count that absolutely horrible time period where Josh Freeman was with the team). However, with all the young talent on this team and the competitions that are so close, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a bit different of an approach this year.

What do you guys think? Did the Minnesota Vikings make the right decision keeping Heinicke over Kafka? And would you like to see the third quarterback on the 53 man roster or the practice squad? Let me know in the comments below!

Next: Minnesota Vikings 2015 Game By Game Previews

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