Preseason News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/preseason/ Minnesota sports, but different Sun, 17 Aug 2025 14:07:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-MSF-favicon-1.jpg Preseason News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/preseason/ 32 32 Kevin O’Connell Sending Mixed Signals on Vikings QB Competition https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/backup-qb-competition-update-preseason-brosmer-howell-rypien/ Sun, 17 Aug 2025 14:07:47 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=66791 One of Kevin O’Connell’s greatest strengths as Minnesota Vikings head coach — beyond his ability to communicate, connect and empathize with players, coaches and executives at an elite level — is his understanding of the modern day quarterback position and how to coach it.

Obviously, once the regular season gets going, KOC’s QB coaching prowess will revolve almost solely around redshirt rookie starter, JJ McCarthy. But on Saturday, during Minnesota’s 20-12 preseason loss against the New England Patriots, McCarthy was in street clothes watching Minnesota’s depth QBs compete for his backup job.

All eyes on Minnesota Vikings backup QB competition

Week two wasn’t the most memorable game for any of the three active Vikings quarterbacks. Max Brosmer — who played the entire second half of what was an overall sloppy contest — again looked poised, confident and in control of his surroundings, even if the results on paper weren’t noteworthy.

Brett Rypien, 28, who got second quarter responsibilities, probably had the most efficient day of the three Vikings QBs who saw the field, completing 7-of-11 passes for 83 yards and an 86.6 QB Rating.

The passer who struggled the most, by far, was Sam Howell. He started Saturday’s contest against the Patriots’ first team defense and it was not pretty. Howell looked skittish and downright confused, finishing his short afternoon 1-of-5 passing for 13 yards and one EGREGIOUS interception.

After showing major strides in week one of the preseason, the 24-year-old, 5-year NFL veteran regressed to the confused, happy-footed deer in headlights who showed up a month ago at MN Vikings training camp,

Most Minnesota Vikings fans and media were looking most forward to Max Brosmer’s extended second half look vs the Pats. His final box score was mildly unimpressive (15-of-27 for 156 yards, 1 INT, 4 sacks), but don’t let that fool you.

Kevin O’Connell blown away by Max Brosmer’s progress

For those who watched Brosmer live, he looked comfortable in the pocket (when allowed time) and he progressed through reads quickly. The one-and-done Gopher also made far and away the most impressive throws on the day, especially during his near miraculous final drive, which nearly ended in a game-saving touchdown.

Unfortunately, Brosmer’s last throw of the day ended in an endzone interception so that final drive was all for nothing. Repeated procedure penalties and dropped passes affected everyone mentioned above, including Max’s valient attempt at a late comeback.

In total, Minnesota committed 10 penalties and the only consistency they got from their wide receivers was dropped passes. After the game, Kevin O’Connell praised Brosmer and the unbelievable development he’s shown in just a few months of time in the Vikings’ system.

“What I love about Max [Brosmer], there were some breakdowns up front and maybe he couldn’t progress and read through concepts, but he plays with very fast eyes and very rarely puts the ball in harm’s way, when he’s doing it, which is a really great trait.

That fourth down dagger throw to Jeshaun [Jones], that’s about as stacked against you as it can be. And he throws it well, well before that pattern had declared, Just things like that, that he has done, just goes to show why he’s getting the reps that he is.”

Kevin O’Connell on quarterback Max Brosmer after wk 2 preseason game

Related: Frustrated MN Vikings Coach Drops F-Bomb During Live Interview

To those who have been paying attention to the Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback competition, Saturday’s preseason game felt like the nail in Sam Howell’s 53-man roster coffin. Yes, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded a late round draft pick for him. But at this point, he is the worst of four quarterbacks on roster.

KOC won’t reveal how Vikings QB room stacks up

Still, Minnesota’s head coach wasn’t willing to give much on how he currently views the quarterback depth chart, underneath JJ McCarthy. When asked whether or not Saturday would spark any movement in the Vikings QB room, KOC wasn’t interested in directly answering the question.

Reporter: “Do you view the No. 2 [QB] job as a competitive situation?”

KOC: “I view it right now as we’ve gotta learn about these guys, we’ve gotta try and see who’s able to go in there and function and execute the offense. I’m well aware, sometimes the circumstances are not perfect.

You aren’t throwing the ball to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, TJ [Hockenson], playing behind the first team offensive line, so you take all of that into account. But you’re looking for the traits out of those three guys.

And I think Sam had a really good week of practice, I think Brett Rypien had a good week stepping in there, and Max made some throws that were really impressive as well. So there’s a reason why we’re playing all three of them.

As far as what that means, the overall competition, I think I’d just say that it’s still open and we’re trying to figure out what the group is room is going to look like for the season, but I do like all the players a lot.

Kevin O’Connell postgame press conference

Related: Minnesota Vikings Superstar Returning to Practice?

Kevin O’Connell has been head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, going on four years now. He’s lead the purple to two playoff appearances, in those three seasons, but he’s 0-2 so far in his postseason opportunities.

Nonetheless, after going 14-3 in 2024 and starting off his Vikings head coaching career with a 34-17 record, which currently stands as the fourth best winning percentage for any active head coach in the league, through three seasons.

That’s why, among other things, KOC received a No. 1 priority contract extension this offseason, before Minnesota Vikings owners signed off on any other contracts, player, coach or GM.

He is the QB whisperer who will decide who plays what role in the Vikings’ quarterback room. And you have to think, that even if he won’t say it out loud, he has to have Max Brosmer moving up his internal depth chart.

]]> Sun, 17 Aug 2025 09:07:49 +0000 Minnesota Vikings Frustrated MN Vikings Coach Drops F-Bomb During Live Interview https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/kevin-oconnell-f-bomb-live-preseason-vs-patriots/ Sat, 16 Aug 2025 22:16:42 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=66773 The Minnesota Vikings fell to the New England Patriots 20-12 in Saturday’s week two preseason game. The results don’t matter, but the process does. Head coach Kevin O’Connell rested his starters against the Pats, who played first teamers for much of the first quarter.

Brosmer took over under center for Minnesota after halftime, which happened to be perfect timing, given that the other highlight of Saturday afternoon, a Kevin O’Connell live sideline interview with the Vikings’ TV/radio broadcast team, also started during the third quarter.

His entire interview was must-see TV, as he called out plays that were coming through his headset before plays were snapped and helped those watching key in on what action might make or break that specific play.

Kevin O’Connell drops F-bomb on live air

We also got to hear KOC interact with his players, both on the sideline and those one the field. And that is where we got probably the most entertaining piece of television this afternoon, a Kevin O’Connell F-bomb on live air.

Midway through the third quarter, a play call came through that O’Connell knew, based on what he saw pre-snap, had lots of potential to create “an explosive”.

Instead, it was flagged for illegal procedure — one of ten penalties Saturday for Minnesota on the day — and the Max Brosmer to Myles Price 20 yard completion on the right sideline as brought back.

I’m excited about this year’s team and excited about this play-call, fellas. We’ve got a fast-motion… ohhh no, f*ck… ugh… it’s coming back.”

Kevin O’Connell live on the Minnesota Vikings TV/radio broadcast

Related: What We Learned About the MN Vikings in Sloppy Preseason Showing vs Patriots

Saturday’s preseason slip-up was a rare moment in which our head coach seemingly forgot he was on the microphone with millions of viewers (many of which are children for f**k sake), an excited Kevin O’Connell quickly turned pissed off and foul-mouthed.

Can’t even blame O’Connell for being so mad

Given how sloppy his team played today, even if it was just the backups, I can’t blame the Minnesota Vikings head coach for growing frustrated. By the seven-minute mark of that third quarter, O’Connell had settled into his interview with PA, and he was feeling comfortable, something that makes for a great interview.

And without a doubt, that is exactly what we got for the entire 15 minutes of football that KOC was on the broadcast. But sometimes, when comfortable and not used to being on a live microphone, some slip-ups are bound to happen.

There were a few bright spots in the loss, including another impressive performance by one-and-done former Gopher QB, Max Brosmer, who nearly drove the Vikings’ down for a chance to tie the game on a two-point conversion and a chance to steal an exhibition contest that they really didn’t deserve.

]]> Sat, 16 Aug 2025 17:16:45 +0000 Minnesota Vikings What We Learned About the MN Vikings in Sloppy Preseason Showing vs Patriots https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/what-we-learned-vikings-patriots-game-recap-preseason-2025/ Sat, 16 Aug 2025 20:37:48 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=66758 The Minnesota Vikings came into their second preseason game of 2025 without a lot of expectations. After two heated joint practice sessions against the New England Patriots on Wednesday and Thursday, Saturday’s exhibition matchup vs the Pats was about those fighting for depth roles and 53-man roster spots.

JJ McCarthy was in street clothes, as was Jonathan Greenard, Jordan Addison and just about every other player casual fans would be able to pick out of a lineup. Of course, for MN Vikings fans watching this weekend, all eyes were on the backup quarterback battle between Sam Howell, Brett Rypien and Max Brosmer.

What We Learned – Minnesota Vikings vs New England Patriots (Preseason)

The Vikings — who eventually fell 20-12 to the Patriots — played okay on both sides of the ball Saturday, at least periodically. But today’s loss was very more so due to preseason sloppiness, than anything else.

NFL: New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Minnesota filled up their box score with drops on offense and missed tackles on defense that cost them both drives and points. Even worse may have been the constant penalty flags that were being thrown. So, let’s get after what we learned during the MN Vikings week two preseason game against the NE Patriots.

Minnesota Vikings 2nd Team mostly holds its own vs Patriots starters

Because head coach Kevin O’Connell decided early in the week (probably much sooner) that Minnesota’s starters were not going to play today, it was a bit surprising when noon rolled around and New England had all of their starters dressed in full pads.

They weren’t in uniform for show, either. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel actually rolled out his starters on both sides of the football, for two drives.

That included second year quarterback Drake Maye and just about every offensive starter, not named Stefon Diggs. New England even started one of the most expensive non-quarterbacks in football, defensive tackle Milton Williams, who’s making $32 million in cash this season.

Still, the Minnesota Vikings’ second team defense mostly held its own, limiting Drake Maye to 4-of-7 for 46 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and 77.1 QB rating.

They were better on drive one, forcing a six-and-out, but did spring a leak on the second drive, allowing Drake Maye & Co drive 52 yards on 9 plays that ended on a TreVon Henderson 8-yard touchdown run.

Sam Howell just ain’t it…

At this point, I think it is only a matter of time before the Minnesota Vikings put an end to the Sam Howell experiment. Out of the three quarterbacks who played on Saturday afternoon, Howell was by far the worst.

Yes, he was playing against the Patriots’ 1st team defense, but that is no excuse for how poorly his only two drives of the game played out. Howell ended his second preseason game as a Viking 1-of-5 for 13 yards and one of the worst preseason interceptions in league history.

Related: Latest Vikings News Could Connect Them with a Pro Bowl WR

During Minnesota’s first preseason game vs Houston, Howell looked good, flipping the script on a conversation that mostly had him trending toward a training camp cut candidate. Unfortunately, his second exhibition opportunity went the opposite.

Meanwhile, Brett Rypien went 7-of-11, while looking calm, cool and collected in Kevin O’Connell’s offense. When his one quarter of work was done, Rypien had accumulated 83 yards through the air, 0 interceptions and an 86.6 QB Rating.

If the MN Vikings do not go out and get a veteran QB2 who can hold water behind JJ McCarthy, it’s become quite clear that Sam Howell is not as good of an option as Brett Rypien, or even the undrafted free agent rookie behind him on the depth chart, who impressed again on Saturday.

Max Brosmer impresses for MN Vikings again…

Max Brosmer had another damn good day this afternoon, even if his boxscore doesn’t necessarily show it. Sam Howell got the first quarter of Saturday’s preseason game, and Brett Rypien the second.

That left the third and fourth quarters for former one-and-done Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Max Brosmer. Once again, the 24 year-old quarterback who played most of his five years of college football at New Hampshire looked in full control of Kevin O’Connell’s NFL offense.

When the dust settled on his extensive day of work, Max Brosmer finished his extensive work Saturday 15-of-27 for 156 hards, 0 TDs and 1 interception that came on the last play of the game.

Related: MN Vikings QB Battle Heating Up – Max Brosmer Uncuttable, Sam Howell in Trouble…?

Before that game-sealing INT in the endzone, however, the former Gopher made multiple beautiful throws to give the Vikings a chance to push a game into overtime that never should have been that close. 0 INTs. He was sacked 4 times.

While he was far from perfect, most of the offensive inefficiencies during the second half were caused by bad penalties and constant pressure. And the pressure wasn’t all on the Minnesota Vikings offensive line, necessarily, either.

Unlike what we normally see out of NFL defenses during the preseason, New England’s defense was bringing extra pass rushers during just about every passing situation Brosmer and the Vikings offense got into.

That made many of his dropbacks messy. But again, even when the outcome isn’t positive, Max is almost always in the right spot. And when he gets time, there is little doubt in his accuracy.

Too many missed tackles, drops and penalties

In the end, the Minnesota Vikings fell 20-12 against the New England Patriots on Saturday, in their second of three 2025 preseason games, and it wasn’t because the Pats played their starters and the Vikes didn’t.

It happened because they had way too many missed tackles on defense, dropped passes on offense and penalties on both sides of the ball. Lucky Jackson, who has been a training camp success story for multiple years now, had two crucial drops early and there were missed tackles on both of New England’s touchdowns.

Related: Harrison Smith MIA from MN Vikings Camp

But even worse than the drops and missed tackles were the penalties. Whether it was the a defensive lineman lining up in the neutral zone or an offensive lineman jumping early, the 10 total penalties committed by the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday ended up costing them a game that came down to the very last play.

Obviously, it was the second, third and fourth teammers drawing the flags, but nonetheless, committing that many procedure penalties just is not acceptable.

]]> Sat, 16 Aug 2025 15:37:51 +0000 Minnesota Vikings Training Camp Stock Prices Skyrocketing for Select MN Vikings https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/rising-player-stocks-week-2-preseason/ Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:15:24 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=66383 For Minnesota Vikings fans, week one of the NFL preseason was probably the most important, given most of the offensive starters actually played at least one drive. More than likely, we will not see JJ McCarthy, Jordan Addison or much of the starting o-line for the final two exhibition games.

But for those inside of TCO Performance Center, this week is much more important. Not only do they have another preseason game on Saturday against the New England Patriots, once dominant AFC contender is coming to town a few days early for a couple midweek joint practice sessions too.

It’s at this week’s joint practices where many MN Vikings starters, on both sides of the football, will get most of their training camp and preseason work in. These joint practices are competitive and, by design, incredibly intense.

Minnesota Vikings player stocks on the rise entering week 2 of preseason

Max Brosmer and JJ McCarthy - Minnesota Vikings Training Camp
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Without a doubt, this week’s visit from the Pats will help Minnesota’s coaching staff decipher who on the Vikings’ 90-man roster is a contender for final spots on the regular season 53-man roster, compared to who is a pretender.

These sessions will also go a long way toward deciding position battles that are being had throughout the depth chart. So, with one 20-10 exhibition victory now in their back pocket and a big week up ahead, let’s take a look at which Vikings players have bumped their training camp stock, thus far.

MN Vikings Stock 📈: QBs Max Brosmer, Sam Howell

This is the only spot where I have two players listed next to each other. That’s because it felt wrong to leave either Max Brosmer or Sam Howell off this list, but I also didn’t want to use up two spaces on depth quarterbacks.

I wrote more on the current standing of the Minnesota Vikings’ QB room, after all three of them played in the first preseason game of the summer on Saturday. But combined, Howell and Brosmer completed 16-of-21 passes for 152 yards and 1 touchdown, immediately answering the 53-man roster questions surrounding both quarterbacks.

For the first week or two of training camp, Sam Howell struggled badly enough to where multiple local beat writers and plugged-in media members were wondering if it was time for the Vikings to start exploring outside backup quarterback options.

If general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was in that same headspace, and actively making calls last week on QB options not currently in purple, I’d imagine he hung up the phone by halftime of Minnesota’s preseason win over Houston.

Related: JJ McCarthy’s Leadership on Full Display in Vikings Return; O’Connell Giddy…

Howell may not be the best executor of Kevin O’Connell’s offense during the week, especially right now, coming in new. But the one-time UNC standout proved over the weekend that, if needed in a pinch, the soon to be 25-year-old QB with 18 games of starting NFL experience would be a perfectly viable option.

Meanwhile, Max Brosmer has impressed coaches, teammates and media members throughout the early-part of 2025 training camp. Still, most believed the former Gopher was destined for the Vikings’ 2025 practice squad.

Following his performance in week one of the preseason, however, that is no longer a guarantee. With two games remaining, both of which Brosmer is expected to get A LOT of playing time, the 24-year-old has an opportunity to make himself uncuttable by the time Minnesota’s exhibition schedule is completed.

Stock 📈: EDGE Gabe Murphy

Gabe Murphy isn’t new to any list that includes Minnesota Vikings training camp standouts. In 2024, after signing as an undrafted free agent, Murphy was one of the earliest rookies to stand out last summer.

Unfortunately, he suffered an injury at the end of camp that landed him on injured reserve for a large chunk of the regular season. But exactly one year later, Murphy has picked up right where he left off prior to his injury this time last preseason.

Even prior to Saturday’s exhibition contest, Murphy was a player being regularly mentioned as an undrafted free agent making an impact at Minnesota Vikings practices. Against the Texans, he doubled down on that optimism with 3 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 5 QB hits, disrupting Houston’s plans all afternoon in both their run and pass game.

Murphy finished Saturday’s preseason game with a 80.2 PFF grade on defense, a number that was buoyed by his 85.3 pass rush grade. Neither he nor Bo Richter will wow viewers in pass coverage — Murphy scored a 61.4 coverage grade vs Texans — but Gabe excelled everywhere else (69.6 Run DEF, 72.0 tackle).

There isn’t a lot of room on the Vikings’ 53-man roster at outside linebacker, behind Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard and Dallas Turner, but Gabe Murphy has to be the current leader for the remaining 1-3 spots that are available.

MN Vikings Stock 📈: K Will Reichard

On Saturday, Will Reichard kicked four total field goals (2 XP, 2 FG) and hit all four in convincing fashion, including a 48-yarder that capped off a 13-play drive from the Minnesota Vikings starters early in the first quarter.

This time last year, that would not have surprised anyone. Reichard came in as a 6th round pick out of Alabama and Vikings coaches were so impressed by his summer workouts that they cut his veteran competition, John Parker Romo, prior to their first preseason game.

Will Reichard went on to hit 14 of his first 14 regular season NFL field goal attempts, to start out his MN Vikings career (along with a perfect XP mark – 23/23). Unfortunately, the rookie kicking phenom suffered an injury in week 9, which resulted in the first two misses of his career.

Related: Insiders Lukewarm on Minnesota Vikings Future

Reichard was placed on the injured list from week 10 to week 13, and when he returned, he was no longer Mr. Automatic, converting on just 4-of-6 field goal attempts. Both misses came from 40-49 yards, where Will had been automatic since becoming the starter in Alabama.

After getting healthy over the offseason, most fans and media pundits expected the 24-year-old kicker to regain last year’s camp form early this summer. Reality didn’t play out that way, however. Instead, Reichard struggled with accuracy during the first few weeks of training camp.

Thankfully, over the past week or two, it sounds like Will has turned things around. He was perfect during the Vikings’ night practice last weekend, and hit on all four of his attempts against the Texans. Let’s hope whatever had been going on since last season’s injury is now behind the Minnesota Vikings’ present and future at kicker.

Stock 📈: RB Zavier Scott

Lastly, we cannot make a 2025 Minnesota Vikings camp stock risers list without including rookie undrafted free agent running back, Zavier Scott, who has been one of the top standouts early on in training camp.

Well, on Saturday against the Texans, he did absolutely nothing to slow down his preseason hype train. After his top competition for RB3, Ty Chandler, took 5 handoffs for a total of just 5 yards (1 YPC) — plus 3 receptions for 20 yards — Scott was given his first NFL preseason opportunity.

And he was not going to let it go to waste, rushing 7 times for 40 yards (5.7 YPC), including a 12-yard toss play in the third quarter that showed off his speed and tackle-breaking abilities. Scott, a former wide receiver, also caught one screen pass for 11 yards and a first down.

Related: What We Learned About the MN Vikings’ QB Situation vs Texans

I don’t know if the Minnesota Vikings are ready to hand Xavier Scott the RB3 position just yet. But at this point, there is nothing that Ty Chandler does better than Scott out of the backfield (other than being one of the fastest players on the team).

The converted Maine/UConn receiver can run the ball inside and outside, can obviously catch passes at a high level, and unlike Chandler, he can block a little bit too.

]]> Mon, 11 Aug 2025 12:15:38 +0000 Minnesota Vikings What We Learned About the MN Vikings’ QB Situation vs Texans https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/what-we-learned-quarterbacks-preseason-vs-texans/ Sun, 10 Aug 2025 01:13:19 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=66332 The Minnesota Vikings got off to a strong preseason start on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium 20-10, in what is expected to be the starters’ only appearance of the three-game exhibition slate.

Well, on one side of the ball anyway. Most of the top defensive players sat out, but nearly all of the Vikings starting offense — minus Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw and Aaron Jones — was on the field for Minnesota’s first drive of the game, including redshirt rookie QB, JJ McCarthy.

JJ McCarthy has up and down drive vs Texans

Those available for the Vikings’ offense even included a few Vikings who have been nursing training camp injuries — Will Fries, Ryan Kelly and TJ Hockenson. The result of that initial offensive drive, which lasted 13 plays, 6:03 minutes and went for 58 yards, ended in 3 points for the Vikings thanks to a Will Reichard 48-yard field goal.

It was far from perfect but, overall, McCarthy operated efficiently and made a couple of big plays, including one 4th down scramble for a first down and another 18 yard throw with lots of anticipation to Jordan Addison, who caught three of JJ’s passes, in total.

When McCarthy’s 2025 preseason debut came to an end, he was 4-of-7 for 30 yards passing, to go along with his 10 yard 4th down scramble. Interestingly, most of his success came when he used play action from under center. Out of the shotgun, JJ was just 1 of 3 for 10 yards.

He did have one missed opportunity that stands out. It came on 3rd down, just before his aforementioned scramble. McCarthy had WR Lucky Jackson breaking free about 15 yards down the field on an in-breaking route.

The 22-year-old went through his progressions beautifully, had good protection, made the right read, threw with anticipation (again)… but just missed the throw high and out front. These are the throws in the regular season that JJ McCarthy needs to hit on 98% of the time.

Sam Howell bounces back after tough start to MN Vikings camp

The next man up, after McCarthy’s one-and-done drive was 24-year-old veteran, Sam Howell, who the Minnesota Vikings traded for during the NFL Draft. It was a big day for Howell, after he struggled mightily to start training camp.

But after struggling to operate the offense in practice, Howell looked like a QB who was poised and under control against the Houston Texans, methodically moving the ball down the field on multiple drives.

When the dust settled on Howell’s day, following about two quarters of play, he was 11-of-13 for 105 yards with 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and a 100.3 QB rating.

Related: Former QB Says MN Vikings Wanted Him to Play Worse

The former UNC standout, who comes into the 2025 season with 18 NFL starts under his belt, ran the offense efficiently and effectively, getting through his progressions and delivering footballs with accurately.

Max Brosmer balls out in his Minnesota Vikings debut

As mentioned, Howell is only 24 years old, which happens to be the same age as former Minnesota Gophers QB, Max Brosmer, whose showing this afternoon may have been even more impressive than his new teammate’s

Much like he did during his only collegiate season in Dinkytown, Brosmer looked calm, cool and collected in the pocket on Saturday, quickly rifling through reads before making on-time and on target throws, or tucking it down to take off.

He attempted only 8 passes on the day, completing 5 of them, including some notable ones, including two on the same drive to Myles Price, one of which was a TD. Brosmer ended his day with 47 yards passing and that beautiful touchdown pass we just mentioned.

After Sam Howell’s impressive preseason debut for the Vikings, fans breathed a sigh of relief. After weeks of worry that Minnesota was in trouble at QB2, the four year veteran calmed those fears on Saturday.

In fact, after today’s preseason game against the Texans, it’s starting to feel like we might have an embarrassment of riches in that room.

Brett Rypien’s time in Minnesota drawing to an end??

29-year-old veteran Brett Rypien also got some playing time today. His day did not go as well as the other three Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks, as he finished 1-of-4 for 6 yards. Rypien also took the Vikings’ only two sacks on the day.

Prior to this week, it was Sam Howell who many wondered would make the team. After one preseason game, it appears as if Brett Rypien needs to have an incredible finish to training camp if he wants any sort of roster spot in the regular season.

We know both Rypien and Brosmer will get a ton of playing time in the MN Vikings final two preseason games. If the first is any indication of how those will go, Brett’s time in the Land of 10,000 Lakes may be coming to a close.

Max Brosmer - Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Related: MN Vikings New Veteran Carted Off With Injury

Meanwhile, should Max continue to play well, sneaking him onto the practice squad may be a lot more difficult than originally anticipated. No matter, it does appear as if Vikings fans have less to worry about at the QB position, entering week two of the preseason, than anytime since the start of the 2025 offseason.

]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2025 20:13:23 +0000 Minnesota Vikings How Much Will JJ McCarthy Play Today for MN Vikings vs Texans? https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/jj-mccarthy-expected-playing-time-vs-texans-preseason/ Sat, 09 Aug 2025 14:34:18 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=66307 It’s finally here. This afternoon at 3:00 p.m. CDT, the Minnesota Vikings and their redshirt rookie quarterback, JJ McCarthy, will take the field at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Houston Texans for their first of three 2025 preseason games.

The next handful of days will be the biggest of McCarthy’s training camp and preseason. Today, we will see JJ start under center against the Texans. Later this week, the 2024 No. 10 overall pick will get a bunch of reps in joint practices against the New England Patriots.

From there, it sounds like JJ McCarthy will turn his attention to week one of the regular season, in Chicago, on Monday Night Football. According to Ben Goessling (Star Tribune), Minnesota’s new QB1’s “probably not going to play next week vs the Patriots”, in the Vikings second preseason game vs New England.

“I do think Kevin O’Connell wants to get JJ McCarthy work in a game, or in game-like settings. He’s not probably going to play against the Patriots after those joint practices, but he will get some work. The fans will get a chance to see him on Saturday and then they’ll have some things to go off of.”

Ben Goessling – Access Vikings Podcast (Star Tribune)

Because starters almost never play in the third and final preseason game, Saturday afternoon is likely to be the only time we will see JJ McCarthy running the Minnesota Vikings offense, until week one of the regular season on September 8.

How much will JJ McCarthy play today for Minnesota Vikings?

So, how much will we see McCarthy play today? Up until Saturday morning, there was no indication, outside of educated guessing from insiders, like Goessling, who predicted a “decent” amount of JJ this afternoon.

But how much is a “decent” amount. Well, Texans beat reporter for Houston’s local NBC affiliate, Aaron Wilson (KPRC) — who has had a knack for breaking Vikings news periodically in the past — is hearing it won’t be much. According to Wilson, JJ McCarthy will get just 8-10 plays.

Related: Former QB Says MN Vikings Wanted Him to Play Worse

Even if the MN Vikings want to play JJ McCarthy more than one or two drives, they don’t want to play the rest of their starters any more than that, especially on the offensive line. And if the starters aren’t in the trenches, then there’s no chance the future of the franchise will be in the game either.

The last time we saw McCarthy play, it was one year ago, in Minnesota’s first preseason game of 2024. In that home contest against the Raiders, a then newly drafted JJ looked phenomenal, completing 11-of-18 passes for 188 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.

Vikings inactives vs Texans mostly on defense

Kevin O’Connell is starting many of his healthy veterans against the Texans, including center Ryan Kelly and right guard, Will Fries, meaning McCarthy will play behind four of his five starting offensive linemen, absent only Christian Darrisaw. Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson and Jordan Mason will all play too.

In contrast, the Vikings’ defensive starters, which have reportedly been leaps and bounds ahead of their offensive counterparts so far during Minnesota Vikings training camp, will get the night off. More than likely, we will not see any of the players listed below until week one of the regular season.

]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2025 14:04:36 +0000 Minnesota Vikings O’Connell Asked 49ers’ Defense to Tone Down Aggressiveness During Joint Practices https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/minnesota-vikings-kevin-oconnell-asked-49ers-defense-to-tone-down-aggressiveness-during-joint-practices/ Mon, 22 Aug 2022 18:05:17 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=40106 Last week, the San Francisco 49ers came to TCO Performance Center and ran joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings, leading up to the preseason contest between the two teams, on Saturday. There were ups and downs for both squads, during their two days of combined practices. But the Niners aggressiveness was noticed early and often.

Niner defensive backs, especially, were all over the Minnesota wide receivers. In 1v1, 7v7 or 11v11, it didn’t matter. Every single video that came out of those joint practices featured SF defensive backs either falling over or grabbing MIN wide receivers. Sometimes, both.

KOC Asks DeMeco Ryans to Call Off His Dogs

And according to Ben Leber (former Vikings linebacker and current sideline reporter), Kevin O’Connell wasn’t happy about the Niners’ exaggerated aggressiveness. So much so, he told their defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans, to tone it down. This, Leber worried on KFAN’s Power Trip Morning show (Monday), may have been a sign of weakness out of the Vikings’ rookie head coach (07:45 mark – transcribed below).

“There was a time where O’Connell went over to DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator for the Niners, and basically had to have a conversation with him about how aggressive the 49ers defense played in one of the practices. That, to me, was a little bit shocking. Because I don’t think you ever have to go over to another coach and say, ‘I think your guys are playing too hard’.” – Ben Leber on Power Trip Morning Show (KFAN)

Leber was so put off when he heard about O’Connell’s request for less aggressiveness, that he dug into this Vikings sources to find out more. Why would KOC make such a move. What Leber was told by Vikings officials, made him feel a bit better.

Post-Whistle Aggressiveness

Apparently, it was aggressiveness AFTER the whistle that was bugging the new Minnesota Vikings head coach. At least, that’s what Leber was told. Still, Ben wasn’t done with O’Connell’s handling of the Niners’ over-aggressiveness.

“The clarification I got was, it was not so much during the play, it was the things that were happening afterward. DeMeco coaches his guys to go after the football at all times. I heard there was a frustration from the offense because the guys would execute the play, the whistle would be blown, and then one or two defensive players would come over and try to punch the ball out. A little extra pushing and shoving afterward. It made me feel a little bit better.”– Ben Leber on Power Trip Morning Show (KFAN)

Oh, well contact after the whistle is different, right? Maybe, but not enough to satisfy a still-flummoxed Ben Leber, who quickly turned his gaze back to KOC. He even went deep into how O’Connell could’ve better handled the Niners’ fighting spirit. Ben makes some great points during his rant, too.

Leber’s Coaching Lessons for KOC

When games start to matter, good defenders are going to try rattling the Vikings’ offensive players. They will punch at the ball and, oftentimes, get away with extracurricular activities both before and after the whistle. If that’s the energy brought on by the Niners last week, KOC should have used it as a chance for his team to grow. Instead, he gave off an impression of weakness. And a former NFL defender immediately picked that up. How do you think current defenders will see it?

But at the same time, I still don’t think that you have to go over to the [opposing] coach and be like, ‘Hey, your guys are being to rough with our offensive players‘. It shouldn’t take you very long to realize that that’s the way they’re coached. If you got a bunch of defensive backs punching at the ball and going after it, you bring your guys back and say, ‘you see what those [DBs] are doing? You’re going to get that in a football game. You’re going to get that in a real game. These guys are coming to work on their trade, which is to get the ball out and create turnovers. We need that.’ So, accept the challenge. Don’t go up to the defensive coordinator, at the end of practice, and be like ‘your guys are too aggressive’.”– Ben Leber on Power Trip Morning Show (KFAN)

O’Connell made it clear to Minnesota Vikings players that fights would not be tolerated during joint practices with the San Francisco 49ers. But that was a message reportedly echoed by the Niners, to their players, too. Yet, they still brought that fire. A fire the rookie Vikings coach wasn’t willing to match.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Mon, 22 Aug 2022 13:18:40 +0000 Minnesota Vikings Ben Simmons Dream May Be Dead But Wolves Playoff Hopes Alive and Well https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/ben-simmons-dream-may-be-dead-but-timberwolves-playoff-hopes-alive-and-well/ Thu, 14 Oct 2021 12:25:17 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=36556 The NBA preseason is coming to a close and Ben Simmons has recently reunited with the Philadelphia 76ers, ending an entire offseason headlined by Simmons drama. Where will he be traded and how much will the 76ers get back? Do the Minnesota Timberwolves have enough to field a competitive offer? Would D’Angelo Russell be part of the package sent back?

All dead… right?

Not necessarily. Simmons could arrive at Sixers camp in the coming days and go James Harden (or worse: Jimmy Butler) on the situation, essentially forcing his way out by constantly stirring up drama that his teammates and coaching staff have to answer regular questions about.

But with less than a week until the Wolves open their 82-game regular season schedule at Target Center vs the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, hope of an imminent trade that lands Ben Simmons in Minnesota is seemingly dead. Philly GM, Daryl Morey, could still seek a trade partner for Simmons but nobody knows what’s going to happen anymore. While the Philly fans remain in limbo, it’s time for Wolves fans to move on.

The Timberwolves can make playoffs without Simmons

The Minnesota Timberwolves have looked incredibly competent during this 2021 preseason. League-wide, they’ve been one of the more fun teams to watch and are exceeding all expectations of anyone paying attention this early. Of course, we’ve all heard this story with the local pro basketball team before, but this team truly feels much different.

The core four of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels is leading a team that might not need Ben Simmons to be successful. As mentioned, expectations for this young Wolves team are low. Their over/under for wins in most sportsbooks is 35 or less.

Minnesota has a talented roster that understands the low expectations from others around the NBA. Instead of succumbing to the negativity, though, they appear to be embracing it. Young cornerstone pieces like Karl Towns and D’Angelo Russell have seen their reputations take hits the last couple seasons and appear ready to shake nagging narratives. To do that, they need to make the playoffs.

Both guys have been dominant all preseason long. They appear locked in from opening tip, which has caught unsuspecting opposing starters off-guard.

Trading for Simmons would crush the Timberwolves’ depth

It’s been a long time since the Timberwolves have had a lineup with this many legitimate NBA players. Once the regular season begins they’re going to have a hard time finding minutes for guys like Jake Layman, Jaylen Nowell and Leandro Bolmaro.

I know, I know… writing about an embarrassment of riches when referencing the Minnesota Timberwolves seems foolish on its face. But look for yourself. In years past, the players mentioned above were all but guaranteed regular minutes.

After watching the first three preseason games, I think head coach Chris Finch deploys an 11-man rotation. That’s right, E-L-E-V-E-N. Put your fingers down. You don’t have enough of them.

No Simmons No Problem

If the Wolves were to trade for Ben Simmons it would likely cost three of Russell, McDaniels, Beasley, Beverley, Prince, plus another depth piece and multiple first-round draft picks, not to mention the earthquake it would throw into a locker room that seems more focused than ever.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in a good spot right now. They have an open window with more talent and determination than we’ve seen since Butler left town. While the Ben Simmons dream might be dead, their playoff dreams are not. Especially with the new play-in tournament, the Wolves should absolutely compete for a ticket to the postseason this winter.

Cooper Carlson | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2021 07:25:21 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves This Timberwolves Team Feels… Different https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-timberwolves/this-minnesota-timberwolves-team-feels-different/ Wed, 06 Oct 2021 16:45:53 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=36490 The Minnesota Timberwolves played their first preseason game of the 2021-22 season on Monday vs the New Orleans Pelicans. Normally, that wouldn’t be news or blog worthy. But there was a much different feel inside of Target Center, thanks to a Wolves team full of energy and effort, especially on the defensive side of the floor.

Yes, you read that right. The T-Wolves, who played Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards for starter minutes through the entire first half, executed with extreme levels of defensive intensity, tenacity and focus on Monday night in a meaningless preseason game.

That defensive effort made for a high-flying, fast-paced offense that completely dominated an overwhelmed Pelicans squad. When the starters were pulled at halftime, Minnesota held a 65-45 lead. They forced 14 New Orleans turnovers and blocked 5 of their shots, in those first two quarters alone.

Talent isn’t the question

If not newsworthy, what happened at Target Center on Monday is at least a development worth keeping our eyes on. Anthony Edwards was especially disruptive on the defensive side of the floor, which has fans especially aroused on his development.

Sure, New Orleans was playing without Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas but those absences are rather irrelevant to this conversation. There was a different energy in Target Center last night, especially in defensive tenacity, and there wasn’t more than a couple thousand fans in attendance.

Nobody doubts that the Minnesota Timberwolves have enough talent to be playoff contenders. It’s always been a question of their drive to win and willingness to lock down defensively, when needed. Karl-Anthony Towns and the many teammates/coaches, who have been around him during his first 5 years in this league, like to talk about, but not play defense.

Different D-Lo

That wasn’t the case on Monday. Even after the starters left the game, nobody disengaged. Patrick Beverley, D’Angelo Russell and others were engaged in the game from the bench and leading the team hype-train until the end.

There’s been some D’Angelo Russell hype leaking out of Mayo Clinic Square during Wolves training camp and that certainly made its way to Target Center vs the Pels. Russell was tossing dimes all over the floor and finished with 19 points for himself… in the first half.

He looked the best that I’ve personally seen him. Many others, who have watched D-Lo much more often, are saying the same things. Patrick Beverly certainly believes. Hopefully, we really are sleeping on this dude and thus, sleeping on this team.

Consistency Check

The Minnesota Timberwolves will spend the rest of their preseason on the road. Friday, they’ll be in Denver vs the Nuggets. Then, they’ll hop on a quick flight further West to LA, where they’ll play the Clippers on Monday. Their final exhibition matchup will be in Brooklyn next Thursday vs the Nets and the regular season will tip Wednesday, October 30 vs the Houston Rockets.

Before we get too excited, let’s see if the Wolves can bring the same type of energy we saw vs New Orleans, for the rest of the preseason. We should probably even wait until regular season games are being played… though I’m not sure my Wolves or Wild hype levels can wait that long.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Wed, 06 Oct 2021 11:47:21 +0000 Minnesota Timberwolves Most Vikings Starters Will Play in Final Preseason Game vs Chiefs https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/most-minnesota-vikings-starters-will-play-in-final-preseason-game-vs-chiefs/ Wed, 25 Aug 2021 17:51:44 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=36013 Mike Zimmer was much happier about the play he saw from his defensive starters in the Minnesota Vikings second preseason game last Saturday vs the Colts. His offense, on the other hand, looked a bit disheveled. The head coach commented earlier this week about the need for that side of the ball to take and hit on shots downfield, “If you’re going to throw 5-yard check downs, it’s going to take 20 of them.”

No matter, Zim told media early Wednesday afternoon that we’ll see a lot of starters play on both sides of the ball for the third and final preseason game this Friday night in Kansas City. Expect to see something much like what we saw last weekend. Hopefully with more success, though.

Cousins and the starting offense got three series’ together on Saturday, before Zimmer pulled them off the field for the night. Kirk went 5/7 for 23 yards, a sack and 75.3 QB Rating. Minnesota Vikings fans hope to see their QB get in more of a rhythm on Friday night. The real thing is only two weeks away.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Wed, 25 Aug 2021 12:51:48 +0000 Minnesota Vikings