The Minnesota Vikings knew they were taking a risk by handing quarterback J.J. McCarthy the reins to their offense this season. They hoped he could give them most of what Sam Darnold did last season, while proving he could be the face of their franchise moving forward. Instead, the Vikings are limping to the finish of their regular season with undrafted signal-caller Max Brosmer ready to lead his team out for their Week 13 matchup.
The former University of Minnesota standout is getting the starting nod against the Seahawks as McCarthy remains in concussion protocol. The 4-7 Vikings are in no position to hurry McCarthy back onto the field since the odds are stacked against them to get back into the postseason race.
What would the Vikings do if Max Brosmer stands out on Sunday?
Brosmer has thrown a grand total of eight passes in his brief NFL career, but he's flashed just enough ability to merit watching on Sunday. He likely can't do enough in one start to unseat McCarthy as Minnesota's quarterback of the future, but he could put himself in the mix with a big performance against Seattle.
The short answer to this question is not much. The Vikings invested a first-round pick on McCarthy with the idea that he could be their franchise quarterback. It's important to remember that 2025 is effectively his rookie season after missing his first campaign as a pro due to injury.
That means it will take a miraculous run from Brosmer from now until the end of the season to change his front office's thinking. Even so, it's a fun thought exercise to engage in. The Vikings would have a great problem on their hands if Brosmer did play well enough to displace McCarthy.
A Max Brosmer breakout would actually be the best news for the Vikings
There's a cogent argument to be made that keeping McCarthy and Brosmer on the roster would be the prudent course of action. McCarthy still has upside, and his salary as a first-round pick is easy to accommodate on the team's cap sheet. The Vikings would be under zero pressure to deal McCarthy if Brosmer beats him out.
The other path forward would be for Minnesota to find a team willing to deal meaningful draft capital to bring McCarthy into the fold. Going all in on Brosmer at quarterback would give the Vikings a lot of cash to spend on the rest of the roster. Sprinkling in more draft picks could make it even easier for Minnesota to build a star-studded roster around their undrafted quarterback.
Dealing McCarthy in exchange for something like a third-round pick could be a boon for the Vikings. Brosmer will need a comfortable ecosystem to work from, even if he does flash high-level ability down the stretch. That kind of pick could net him another pass-catcher to grow alongside, or an offensive lineman to protect him for years to come.
In the end, the Vikings should hang on to McCarthy, even if Brosmer looks like the better quarterback as the season finishes up. No team has ever suffered from having too many quality options at the game's most important position. Letting McCarthy serve as Brosmer's backup would give the Vikings safety and optionality moving forward.