Minicamp preview: Sam Howell will have to earn Kevin O'Connell's trust
The Vikings acquired Howell to be J.J. McCarthy's backup. But he must prove he's curbed his penchant for throwing interceptions or the Vikings might be searching for a new No. 2 QB.
(The Vikings will hold their mandatory three-day minicamp Tuesday-Thursday. We are spending three days examining some of the key questions facing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell as they get set for the last full-team practices before training camp opens in late July. The first position focused on was cornerback. The second was defensive line. Today: Backup quarterback.)
J.J. McCarthy is going to be the Vikings’ starting quarterback. There was consideration given to signing future Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers this offseason, but coach Kevin O’Connell decided to go with the guy the Vikings took with their first pick in the opening round of the 2024 draft.
It’s the right call.
But the Vikings’ confidence in McCarthy doesn’t mean they don’t need to have a contingency plan. It isn’t so much a concern that McCarthy will fail as it is that he will get injured. After all, McCarthy missed last season because of a torn right meniscus suffered in an exhibition game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Last season, the Vikings quarterback room included starter Sam Darnold and backups Nick Mullens and Brett Rypien. Daniel Jones was signed to the practice squad in November after being released by the New York Giants in November.
Darnold departed for Seattle in free agency, while Mullens landed in Jacksonville and Jones elected to sign with the Indianapolis Colts. The Vikings reportedly attempted to keep Jones as their backup but he wanted the opportunity to start.
The Vikings replaced Mullens by acquiring Sam Howell from Seattle on the third day of the NFL draft. Rypien re-signed but the plan is to have him continue to be the No. 3 quarterback.
What O’Connell must decide is whether Howell is ready to run the offense, if McCarthy is sidelined. There are some who feel an injury to the starting quarterback would end the season, but the Vikings weren’t one of the top spenders in free agency so they can throw in the towel if McCarthy is injured.
O’Connell has become known for his work with quarterbacks and that doesn’t just mean the starter. O’Connell knows exactly what he wants from the position, and he has experience in what happens when his starter goes down and the guys behind him aren’t capable of accomplishing what he wants.
The Vikings started the 2023 season with only one victory in their first five games. They bounced back to even their record at 4-4, getting to .500 with a victory on Oct. 29 in Green Bay. But they lost quarterback Kirk Cousins to a season-ending Achilles’ injury in that game.
The Vikings won their next two games — in part because of the play of newly acquired quarterback Joshua Dobbs — but lost six of their final seven as Dobbs, Mullens and rookie Jaren Hall all got an opportunity to start.
Having to play three quarterbacks meant the Vikings didn’t have one they could trust. That played a large role in costing them a playoff berth. The 2023 team was a solid one, but the 2025 Vikings have a better roster and far bigger expectations.