The Minnesota Vikings made the unusual decision to keep four quarterbacks on their final 53-man roster after the deadline to make final cuts passed on Sunday.
Starter Kyler Murray, along with 2024 first round pick J.J. McCarthy, Super Bowl champion Carson Wentz, and 2025 UDFA Max Brosmer all made the initial 53.
J.J. McCarthy Suffered a ‘Multi-Week’ Ankle Sprain
This is not the only notable quarterback news for the Vikings, however. Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed that McCarthy, having lost the quarterback competition to Murray earlier in camp, is set to lose the backup QB position to Wentz.
According to Schefter, this at least in part stems from a sprained ankle McCarthy suffered, which will keep him out for multiple weeks.
JJ McCarthy has a sprained ankle that is a multi-week injury and they like Max Brosmer”
@AdamSchefter #PMSLive“Kyler’s the starter, J.J.’s the former one; I think Carson Wentz winds up being the #2 right away. First of all, J.J.’s got the ankle injury right now, he’s got a sprained ankle that I think is a multi-week injury. And then Wentz becomes the #2 there.” Schefter reported on Aug. 31.
Will Carson Wentz Start Over McCarthy After Injury Return?
Schefter’s wording implies that whilst Wentz being the immediate backup to Murray to start the season comes from a place of necessity, he may well remain the second-choice QB even after J.J.’s return.
The use of “first of all” – even though Schefter never got to a second in the clip – reveals that the injury is just one reason that Wentz would be the starter come the season opener against Green Bay, with the other reason(s) presumably being down to head coach Kevin O’Connell’s preference for Wentz; although Schefter does not explicitly say that in the clip.
The sprained ankle is the same injury that caused McCarthy to miss over a month’s action early last season. Whilst it is far from the most severe, recurring injuries are never a good sign for players.
Right now, it appears that Wentz is in the drivers seat to be QB2 for the first two weeks of the season – and beyond.