Vikings admit mistake with Sam Howell, roll dice with Carson Wentz

Days after Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell declared the competition for the backup quarterback job to be open, he made his decision.

None of the above.

Sunday’s surprising-but-not decision to sign Wentz and trade Sam Howell represents an admission by the Vikings that they should have just signed Wentz in the first place, and not traded for Howell. Wentz arrives cold; if he’d been signed in April, he would have had the benefit of the offseason program, training camp, and the preseason.

Still, the Vikings could have doubled down on a bad decision to tentatively make Howell the No. 2 to J.J. McCarthy. They didn’t.

With Brett Rypien also getting the heave-ho, only undrafted rookie Max Brosmer did enough to earn a spot on the team. For now. Brosmer could end up being cut by Tuesday and, if he clears waivers, signed to the practice squad.

Wentz once was a rising star, and he was on track during only his second season to be the NFL’s MVP. A torn ACL opened the door for Nick Foles to propel the Eagles to their first ever Super Bowl win. Wentz remained in Philly through 2020, getting a second contract along the way.

He thereafter started for Indianapolis in 2021, and Washington in 2022. By 2023, his days as a starter had ended. He arrived in L.A. with the Rams for a late-season cup of coffee. Last year, Wentz signed with the Chiefs in early April and served as the backup to Patrick Mahomes.

This year, Wentz had no serious interest early in the offseason. Now, he has a chance to be one snap away from playing football for one of the top quarterback gurus in the game.

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