Carson Wentz out for 2025: Who else is on the Vikings QB room behind JJ McCarthy?

Carson Wentz being out for the rest of the season is one of the hardest blows for the Minnesota Vikings. The situation is further complicated as, even with J.J. McCarthy nearing his return, the team must now rely on their third option, Max Brosmer, in case of any further setbacks.

Tom Pelissero was the first to report the end of the season for Wentz on X: “Vikings QB Carson Wentz will undergo surgery on his left shoulder and miss the rest of the 2025 season, sources tell The Insiders. Wentz gutted it out as long as he could. But he was in severe pain Thursday night in L.A. and now will get the shoulder fixed.”

At the same time, the NFL insider revealed that McCarthy is expected to be ready to return: “J.J. McCarthy is expected to be ready to return to the lineup this week.” Meanwhile, Brosmer will remain an option for the Vikings as the backup.

Brosmer’s pro experience in the NFL

So far, Max Brosmer has limited experience in the NFL, having participated in three games. He has accumulated a total of 42 yards and has yet to throw a single touchdown. However, he has completed the majority of his eight professional passes, holding a 62.5% completion rate.

In his short time playing college football with Minnesota, Brosmer spent only one year but managed 2,828 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. This output was apparently enough to catch the attention of the NFL, leading him to receive an opportunity with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent.

McCarthy had high hopes for the Vikings this year

It is worth recalling that before the season began, J.J. McCarthy had commented that he was more than ready to capitalize on all the talent the Vikings had to offer, and confident that the coaches were doing a good job, he was prepared to trust the franchise’s process.

“The roster is stacked with talent, and the coaches put us in the right spots. My job is to execute, get the ball to the playmakers, and trust the guys around me. That frees me up to just play the game the right way,” McCarthy told CBS Sports in early September.