The Vikings’ first 53-man roster of 2026 brought one real surprise: all four quarterbacks survived the cut, including second-year undrafted free agent Max Brosmer.
Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz, J.J. McCarthy and Brosmer are all on the roster, a rare setup around the league. Minnesota is one of only four teams to carry four quarterbacks on its initial 53, joining the Eagles, Falcons and Steelers.
Murray and Wentz were never in doubt, and McCarthy was not going anywhere despite the trade chatter that has followed him. The head-scratcher is Brosmer, who did not have a strong preseason and was already thrown into the fire last year against the eventual Super Bowl champions.
His 2025 line is easy enough to explain away. As an undrafted rookie who probably should not have been on the field, Brosmer completed 47 of 71 passes for 328 yards, with no touchdowns and four interceptions.
All four picks came in a shutout loss to the Seahawks. He also took 14 sacks and finished with a passer rating of 53.
The preseason didn’t offer much of a rebound. Over three games this month, Brosmer went 32 of 54, a 59 percent clip, for 269 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
His PFF passing grade was 43.2, and his passer rating was 64.5. Across those games, he never really looked sharp and had multiple non-competitive misses.
So why keep him? There are a few ways to read it.
One possibility is that the Vikings still see more in Brosmer than his game reps have shown, and they’re not eager to give up on the development they’ve invested in. That also fits with how much Minnesota has emphasized quarterback depth after starting three quarterbacks last year and four in 2023.
Another explanation is more temporary: Brosmer may simply be on the roster for now, with the Vikings hoping to avoid exposing him to waivers before the rest of the roster settles. Minnesota kept only eight offensive linemen and four outside linebackers, so there could be moves coming at those positions or elsewhere. If Brosmer clears, the practice squad would be the likely landing spot.
There’s also the McCarthy angle. The Vikings may still be open to trading him, and Brosmer’s roster spot could be part of that flexibility.
They were never going to deal McCarthy without a worthwhile offer, and that hasn’t materialized. But after going from a QB1 candidate to what looks like QB3 behind Murray and Wentz, he may no longer be locked into the roster the way he once seemed.
That part is speculative, but it does make sense if Minnesota is keeping an eye on a quarterback cut elsewhere as a possible replacement for a QB3 spot. If the right team calls with the right offer for McCarthy, the Vikings could still listen.
Even if that never happens, Brosmer sticking on the 53 looks like the least likely outcome by the time Week 1 arrives.
In Other News...
Vikings QB Debate Just Took A Brutal Turn For J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthys path in Minnesota keeps getting messier as the Vikings head toward roster cuts, with reports now suggesting the quarterback is in danger of not making the 53-man roster. It is a stunning turn for a player once viewed as a central piece of the franchises future, especially after he missed his entire rookie season with an injury and then had to work through a year that did not provide much consistency.
The scrutiny around the Vikings handling of the quarterback spot has only grown, with analysts such as Paul Charchian criticizing the teams decisions involving McCarthy and Sam Darnold. Minnesotas recent choice to name Kyler Murray the starting quarterback for 2026 adds another layer to the uncertainty, leaving McCarthys standing in the organization suddenly very much in question. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings QB Depth Suddenly Has A Familiar Twist Before Cutdown Day
Nick Mullens is back in the conversation in a way the Vikings probably did not expect this close to cutdown day. After the Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly moved on from him following their acquisition of Quinn Ewers, Mullens suddenly became available again, and Minnesota has a straightforward connection if it wants one. He already knows the offense, which matters for a team trying to keep its quarterback room organized as roster decisions come due.
Minnesotas depth chart still has a variable hanging over it in J.J. McCarthy, and if the Vikings decide to trade him or simply cut him before the deadline, the third-string job would need to be filled quickly. Mullens would make sense as a familiar, low-friction option, even if nothing is settled yet. For the Vikings, this is the sort of late-summer quarterback wrinkle that can look minor until a roster move forces the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Made A Surprise Special Teams Call That Will Be Debated
The Vikings made a notable special teams choice by moving on from veteran punter Johnny Hekker and handing the job to undrafted rookie Brett Thorson for the 2026 season. It is a clean reminder that even in a relatively quiet part of the roster, Minnesota is willing to make a call that mixes performance, timing and roster economics, especially after losing Ryan Wright in free agency.
Hekker and Thorson reportedly posted similar preseason punting numbers, which makes the decision easy to debate. But Thorson now gets the nod entering the season, and the move also appears to come with a lighter financial commitment, giving the Vikings a younger option and a cheaper one as they sort out one of the more specialized spots on the roster. [Read more 🡒]