With the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason program behind them, the biggest question is who will be the quarterback for the 2026 season.
There are several things that didn’t happen during minicamp, such as throwing to Justin Jefferson, that could decide the quarterback job between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. But something that could factor into their decision-making is the presence of Max Brosmer.
Brosmer is currently listed as out on Alec Lewis’s 53-man roster projection at The Athletic. While the second-year quarterback's performance when called upon in 2025 hints that he shouldn’t be on an NFL roster, he noted that head coach Kevin O’Connell “still thinks highly of Brosmer” while cautioning that “he fits more as a developmental prototype.”
Although the Vikings may want to see things through, it could be a risky bet hoping Brosmer makes it through to the practice squad, and it may mean Minnesota may have to get rid of one of their quarterbacks to keep the former Golden Gopher in Minnesota.
Minnesota Vikings loyalty to Max Brosmer could give QB competition an unexpected ending
While Kwesi Adofo-Mensah tried to convince ESPN’s Adam Schefter otherwise, the Vikings view on Brosmer isn’t a secret.
A UDFA out of Minnesota, O’Connell called Brosmer “as smart as any young player that I’ve been around” during last year’s minicamp via OnSI’s Will Ragatz.
Brosmer continued to build momentum throughout training camp and won a roster spot with an impressive performance in the preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans.
When McCarthy missed a Week 13 meeting against the Seattle Seahawks with a concussion, an anonymous scout compared him to Brock Purdy while talking to Dianna Russini, formerly of The Athletic.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler followed suit, saying, “The Vikings know they have something in Max Brosmer,” but it didn’t translate to on-field success, throwing four interceptions and losing 26-0 in his first career start.
Brosmer drew another start in Week 17 against the Detroit Lions, and while he led the Vikings to a 23-10 victory, he threw for just 51 yards. With the addition of Murray and the return of Brosmer this season, it seems like he has a blocked path to make the roster this time around.
But if O’Connell is still bullish, it wouldn’t make sense for the Vikings to subject him to waivers before putting him on the practice squad.
This is where things could get interesting. If O’Connell wants to continue to develop Brosmer, he could slide Carson Wentz to the practice squad in case of emergency.
But that plan could be foiled if another team offers Wentz a spot on their active roster, leaving the Vikings with a quarterback room of McCarthy, Murray, and Brosmer.
But O’Connell also praised Wentz shortly after he agreed to return to the Vikings last April, citing his ability to execute the offense on short notice. If the Vikings are adamant about keeping Wentz, it could lead to the speculated trade that some are expecting and, most likely, the end of McCarthy’s time in Minnesota.
This all seems crazy if Brosmer’s ceiling might just be the next Sean Mannion, who turned a seven-year career as an understudy into a promising coaching arc.
But the Vikings seem to like him more than the average fan does, and it could lead to one move that could play an unexpected role in their quarterback decision.
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