The Minnesota Vikings rode a career renaissance from Sam Darnold to a wonderful 2024 season.
But Darnold is in Seattle now after Minnesota opted not to pay him in free agency. And the quarterback depth chart isn't settled yet.
The widespread assumption is that J.J. McCarthy is the unquestioned starter after missing his rookie season with a knee injury.
Behind him? It's not as set in stone as some think.
The Vikings got Sam Howell in a trade this offseason, and they also brought Brett Rypien aboard.
"I'm telling you, that's a legit battle. Brett Rypien v Sam Howell," local TV reporter Darren Wolfson said on a recent podcast. "To think it's 100% foregone conclusion that Sam Howell is the next man up? No. Hold your horses. That's a legit battle, July into August, Howell versus Rypien."
You've gotta love the NFL. People getting excited about backup quarterback battles is a beautiful thing.
Howell would appear to be the favorite since the Vikings went out of their way to move an asset to acquire him. He's also got a slightly stronger pedigree and resume.
Rypien has proven he can make plays here and there at the NFL level, too.
A backup quarterback needs to be ready to step in at a moment's notice. The Vikings might have to gauge their two competitors' ability to do just that.
Minnesota will hope McCarthy is healthy all season long, of course. But his rookie season injury and still-unproven nature mean that the backup battle here could turn out to be quite important.
