The Vikings traded away J.J. McCarthy , somebody who was deemed the franchise passer roughly two years ago . So, who is going to jump into that QB3 opening?
The Vikings snagged Max Brosmer . Doing so involved a minor jump since he's an in-house talent who has been on the practice squad. Tom Pelissero offered the news : "The Vikings are signing QB Max Brosmer from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, per source. With the J.J. McCarthy trade complete, the move allows Brosmer to be inactive but dress as the emergency No. 3 QB behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz ."
Both of GM Nolan Teasley and HC Kevin O'Connell insisted that Brosmer was the man to be the new QB3. Apparently, they weren't lying.
In 2025, he lived on the roster as the QB3, so this is a return to the role he occupied in his debut season. What changed in 2026 is that Kyler Murray got added into the mix, bumping everybody down a spot. Removing McCarthy now means there's a need for another arm.
Aug 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12) takes a snap against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
To my eye, settling on Brosmer alone would be a foolish decision. These Vikings should be four-deep at quarterback.
Fresh off a poor preseason, Brosmer is now reasonably close to getting onto the field. A pair of passers would need to go down to injury to see him step onto the field, so it's not like the UDFA sophomore is starting in Week 4. Still, it's not hard to see how things could go south quickly.
Kyler Murray has missed more time in 2026 than he has played. Worse yet, Murray has battled injury over his career. Expect the anxiety to be high every time he gets walloped in the pocket or as a runner.
And then there's Carson Wentz, somebody who has proven to be incredibly tough but not bulletproof. The issue there is that he's now in his mid-30s and was lost for most of last year due to injury (which is to say nothing of the other tough injuries he has suffered across his career).
Aug 15, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray (1) and quarterback Carson Wentz (11) warms up before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Vikings Territory offered a piece covering some potential quarterback options in the aftermath of saying goodbye to McCarthy . For now, the team doesn't appear overly interested in making another addition, but that's something that could should change.
Max Brosmer went 1-1 last season. He did so while completing 66.2% of his passes for 328 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. His passer rating came in at a paltry 53.0.
Next up is a Week 4 game that sees a 3-0 Vikings team looking to overcome an 0-3 Dolphins team.
Also Read on Vikings Territory: The Kevin O'Connell Quips that Didn't Come Up in the J.J. McCarthy Trade Presser
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