Confirmed: Vikings Have No Idea Who Will Play QB Next Week

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Minnesota Vikings practice - Carson Wentz with JJ McCarthy in the background
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings do not play football this weekend. After 1.5 weeks studying American football abroad in Europe, the Vikings are back in Eagan off their 1-1 trip, enjoying a much-needed bye week.

Of course, that would be easier to do if they had a healthy quarterback room. Unfortunately, you can’t always get what you want, and heading into the bye, what the Vikings want is a healthy, competent QB. Instead, they have one healthy rookie UDFA who nobody projected would be here, just a couple months ago.

2024 No. 10 overall pick JJ McCarthy, who has been out since week three with a high ankle sprain. Head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed on Monday that McCarthy has begun working out and throwing again, the first step in a ramp up process that the Vikings hope will get him back on the field by week 7.

Minnesota Vikings worried about Carson Wentz’ status vs Eagles

Whether or not they can get him healthy and up to speed in less than two weeks, is yet to be determined. And that is what makes the Carson Wentz’ shoulder injury even more crucial to keep an eye on.

If their 32-year-old veteran can go against Philly, then Minnesota will have the luxury of being cautious with their prized redshirt rookie, should they so choose. But life in Vikings world is rarely that simple. And during that same Monday presser, KOC mentioned that they too are watching Wentz this week very closely.

“Just to give you guys an update on Carson [Wentz]…he’s still getting further evaluation but he is pretty sore in that left shoulder so that will be something that we will be taking a look at throughout this week.”

Immediately when O’Connell gave the above update on Wentz, my antennas were up on who would be playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings on October 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium. If neither Wentz or McCarthy are healthy enough to go, the ball would default into the hands of former Minnesota Gophers QB Max Brosmer.

But will that actually happen? Well, let’s start with the fact that Carson Wentz isn’t just dealing with one shoulder injury, even if that’s what the Vikings would like us to believe. He’s dealing with two.

Carson Wentz dealing with multiple shoulder injuries

Shortly after the team made it back from London, Alec Lewis (The Athletic) reported that Wentz was dealing with a previously undisclosed injury in his other (right) shoulder, which he suffered in Dublin against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

While Wentz’ week four shoulder injury didn’t make it on any of the week 5 injury reports leading up to Minnesota’s matchup last Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, it did reportely limit him in other areas of practice and life during the Vikings’ stay near London.

Per Lewis, his right shoulder was injured enough last week that the nine year veteran was not able to near 100% at practice. It also kept the avid golfer from hitting the historic golf course provided to the team at their hotel on the English countryside, with his teammates.

Wentz himself was hobbled. He couldn’t play golf on Tuesday with teammates because of the pounding he took last Sunday against the Steelers. In practice this week, he lobbed passes and tugged at his ribs.

Jefferson described him as “a soldier,” an apt tag when Wentz moseyed over to the blue medical tent in the second quarter. This time, he had dinged his left shoulder. Even he admitted that when he trotted up the tunnel for a more detailed evaluation, he was unsure whether he’d be back.

Alec Lewis (The Athletic)

That right shoulder injury is completely separate from the left shoulder injury he suffered against the Browns, meaning Wentz has double the problems this week than the Minnesota Vikings are leading on.

Minnesota Vikings do not know who will play QB vs Eagles

Throw in the uncertainty surrounding McCarthy’s return, and who knows who will start under center week 7, including those in Eagan. And that’s not just me opining, either.

According to Local insider Darren Wolfson (KSTP) — who was on SKOR North’s Purple Daily Podcast Thursday — the Vikings indeed have no clue whether or not McCarthy, Wentz or Brosmer will lead Minnesota vs Philadelphia in 10 days. QB depth chart 10 days prior to their next game.

That means, it’s possible we see any of the three Minnesota Vikings QBs take the field on October 19. We believe that, should he be ready, JJ McCarthy is their first choice. If he isn’t quite there yet, they want to hand the ball to Carson Wentz.

“I think at some point, whether its next Wednesday or Thursday or both, [McCarthy’s] going to be a full participant in practice… But as of today, October 9, the Vikings do not know who their starting QB is 10 days from now., October 19, against the Eagles. So, I don’t know…”

Darren Wolfson – Purple Daily (SKOR North)

But if neither is healthy enough to go, we could see the starting debut of former Minnesota Gopher himself, 2025 UDFA training camp and preseason standout, Max Brosmer.

And should that happens, and he plays well, it could light social media on fire and bring ALL SORTS of distractions to what has already been one hell of a 2025 Vikings rollercoaster for Kevin O’Connell & Co.

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