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J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings does a drill during training camp.
It’s quiet on the Minnesota Vikings quarterback front.
For weeks, the Vikings were linked to Aaron Rodgers and other veteran quarterbacks to pair with J.J. McCarthy.
Despite the team shelving their conversations with Rodgers, there is still a need in the quarterback room with only Brett Rypien and McCarthy currently under contract.
The Vikings’ holding pattern to sign a new quarterback has been considered a shrewd move to avoid tipping the NFL’s compensatory pick formula out of their favor.
However, the wait could be because they’re not looking for a veteran at all — but rather, a rookie.
ESPN’s Ben Solak played quarterback matchmaker with 12 rookies in the upcoming draft class and deemed Ohio State quarterback Will Howard an ideal fit for Minnesota to take in the sixth round to push McCarthy in training camp.
“Ideally, the Vikings go QB earlier in this draft — but Howard in Round 6 is a pretty square deal. He had 43 starts over four seasons at Kansas State and a national championship campaign with Ohio State. With the Buckeyes, he looked the part of a poised and trustworthy veteran. I like Howard’s mobility, but he isn’t a one-read-and-scramble escape artist in the pocket. He’ll sit in there, bounce through progressions and look for the correct throw. He can break a tackle or two as well; he’s big and doesn’t shy away from contact,” Solak wrote on April 9.
“Howard can access all the levels of the field and is generally safe with the football, but he doesn’t see it fast and will get hoodwinked by coverage rotations at the snap. He needs an offense like the one Kevin O’Connell runs, as it protects the quarterback from high processing demands. At Ohio State, Howard picked his poison on isolation routes with elite college receivers in Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. In Minnesota, he could do the same with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.”
Howard Predicted to Have Special Role Behind Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy
GettyOhio State quarterback Will Howard
Before getting ahead of ourselves, let’s make one thing clear: there’s a reason the Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy, and it’s not to put him in competition with a sixth-round rookie quarterback.
Howard would come in as a developmental backup, but Solak also saw a specific role that could add a wrinkle to the Vikings offense.
“If he hits, I could see Howard having a Jacoby Brissett-like career in the NFL,” Solak wrote. “He might even get the designated sneaker role in Minnesota behind McCarthy!”
At 6-foot-4, 236 pounds, Howard is coveted for his athleticism and ability to make the right reads on the rollout. He is a year older than McCarthy and would give the Vikings another college national champion in the quarterback room.
In 2024, Howard completed 309 of 423 passes for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, 10 interceptions.
Vikings Would Be Wise to Still Sign a Veteran Backup
While Howard could compete for the backup job alongside Rypien, the Vikings would be wise to still sign a proven veteran who will be the backup plan if anything happens to McCarthy.
Minnesota opened its contention window with several high-profile signings in free agency to add to a solid 2024 offseason rebuild.
The Vikings are pushing their chips in and need a quarterback who is capable of stepping up in the right situation.
Trevor Squire is a sports journalist covering the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks. Trevor studied journalism at the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities, making stops at the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @trevordsquire. More about Trevor Squire
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Gruden’s QB Class | Will Howard @BarstoolGruden @whoward_
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Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell has hinted at reducing Jones' workload and using trade acquisition Jordan Mason as part of a "1A/1B backfield structure", ESPN's Kevin Seifert reports. O'Connell specifically mentioned goal-line and short-yardage situations as areas where Mason can help, noting that the Vikings "left a lot to be desired" in those situations last year. Jones returns as the starter after signing a two-year, $20 million contract, but it sounds like he's a long shot to match last season's career highs for snaps (700), rush attempts (255) and touches (306). The only disappointment in 2024 was scoring three times on 24 carries inside the 10-yard line, with just seven total TDs (five rushing) despite playing all 17 games and recording 1,546 yards from scrimmage (his most since 2019) at rates of 4.5 yards per carry and 8.0 per catch. While ceding goal-line carries is never a good thing for fantasy value, Mason's physical presence could help the 30-year-old Jones to stay healthy and maintain his strong per-touch yardage production.
