While the Vikings' young starting quarterback gets all of the attention, the team's backup quarterback situation is also one that's worth keeping an eye on over the next month or so.
Daniel Jones chose the Colts and the Vikings lost Nick Mullens to the Jaguars in free agency, so they acquired Sam Howell in a trade with the Seahawks during April's NFL draft. That seemed like a reasonable solution, considering Howell showed some flashes of arm talent as the Commanders' starter during the 2023 season.
But as the Vikings approach the two-week mark of training camp, it's safe to say — as someone who has been at every single practice — that Howell hasn't exactly performed to the level they might've hoped. His accuracy and decision-making have left plenty to be desired; I've charted Howell with throwing five interceptions. He's also had plenty of plays where he holds onto the ball too long and takes a sack.
If the Vikings don't believe Howell is ready to be their backup QB, they don't exactly have better options behind him. Brett Rypien and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer are probably practice squad-type players who are competing for the QB3 role.
Thus, it feels like this could potentially be a situation where the Vikings go out and trade for a backup quarterback around roster cutdown day. That's what they did in 2022, when they acquired Mullens from the Raiders after neither Sean Mannion nor Kellen Mond did enough in camp to stick around.
It certainly wouldn't be ideal to have to make another trade for a quarterback, but the Vikings also can't be content to roll with Howell no matter what. This is a loaded roster that needs someone who can keep them afloat if J.J. McCarthy has to miss a couple games.
The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling is among those who thinks the Vikings may end up pursuing an external backup quarterback.
"I think there is going to continue to be a hunt for an option there," he said on the Access Vikings podcast. "We saw them do that three years ago with Nick Mullens, making the trade for him during the preseason, he ends up becoming the No. 2 quarterback for the next three years. If they found something they liked that worked in a trade, I wouldn't be surprised if they found a way to make something happen. I don't think that is a settled issue by any means, at this point."
Who that QB might be is hard to say. One option that can't fully be ruled out is a reunion with the Falcons' Kirk Cousins, who is currently the most expensive backup in the league. He remains close with Kevin O'Connell and obviously knows the Vikings' offense quite well, but there are also several major questions that stand in the way of Cousins coming back to Minnesota.
"I don't think it's impossible," Goessling said. "There's still a good relationship there. I would put it that way. There's still a very good relationship between Kirk Cousins and Kevin O'Connell. They are still friends, they are still, I think, in contact at times, in whatever line you have to walk with tampering."
"I have three questions with that," he added. "No. 1, is he healthy? No. 2, how do you figure out the money? Because the Falcons still owe him a bunch of money and I can't imagine the Vikings are terribly interested in coming to their rescue on that. And the biggest one, at least for me, would be how do you fit that in the locker room? It's not his team anymore. ... I think everybody would have to be on the same page about what roles are and what expectations are. That would be the biggest hurdle, and I think the optics of that would be tricky as well."
Those are three big reasons why Cousins rejoining the Vikings would be tricky and is probably unlikely. Of course, Howell may still end up doing enough over the course of camp to convince O'Connell and company he's capable of adequately filling that role. But if he doesn't, keep an eye out for a potential move like the one the Vikings made three years ago.
