There’s been a ton of hype surrounding young quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings’ new-look offense this spring, to the point where training camp was destined to act as a natural checkpoint.
It’s only Week 2 of camp, but so far, the updates on Minnesota’s quarterback room as a whole have been dicey, at best.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert detailed McCarthy’s second week as “rocky at times,” emphasizing the valuable physical reps missed from last year’s season-ending meniscus injury. That the reported struggles came following the first fully-padded practices of camp should come as no surprise.
“Once the pads came on,” Seifert wrote, “McCarthy and the entire Vikings offense have struggled to move the ball. During one eight-play sequence of starters versus starters, the offense gained positive yards only once. Working against a defense that has unleashed its full arsenal of blitzes and coverage disguises, McCarthy's accuracy has been inconsistent, particularly in the red zone. He has led receivers out of bounds and thrown high to a number of open targets running along the back line.”
O’Connell and the Vikings likely anticipated some growing pains for their 22-year-old, first-year starting quarterback. The calendar just flipped to August. It’s way too early and overactive to vent concerns about McCarthy’s ability to lead the team this year.
But there should be growing concerns for the state of Minnesota’s quarterback group as a whole. McCarthy not only has no one pushing him for the starting job, but his current backup, Sam Howell, reportedly ceded more second-team reps to Brett Rypien in Friday’s practice than any other point this offseason.
Vikings practice just ended. Theo Jackson had two picks. Most second-team QB snaps Brett Rypien has gotten all camp.
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) August 1, 2025
The Minnesota Vikings could have a problem brewing at QB2
There’s a reason Rypien was brought back on a futures contract this spring. The Vikings love his acumen internally, per Judd Zulgad of SKOR North, and believe coaching is in his future after his playing days. While the Vikings signed former Minnesota Golden Gophers standout Max Brosmer as an undrafted rookie, the team likely views Rypien as the perfect QB3.
There’s no way the team views Rypien as a suitable backup to McCarthy, though, which makes his higher rep share with the second unit Friday extremely interesting. O’Connell could simply be mixing things up, looking to give the offense a shot in the arm vs. Brian Flores and company. He could also be losing patience with Howell, who Alec Lewis of The Athletic has deemed underwhelming since he arrived in the Twin Cities.
The Vikings are playing with fire at the quarterback position, from their young starter to the inexperienced and unproven group behind him. Minnesota had strategic reasons for passing on higher-priced veterans in free agency — it's projected to receive a third-round compensatory pick for Sam Darnold as a result — but the offense has been firmly behind the defense in camp, per multiple reports, and the quarterback play will need to improve quickly to avoid being a major second guess in 2025.