Vikings UDFA profile: Minnesota QB Max Brosmer looks to carve out NFL career

When Kevin O'Connell says good things about a quarterback, it's worth listening. And on multiple occasions over the course of this spring, O'Connell praised Vikings rookie quarterback Max Brosmer, who the team prioritized signing after he went undrafted.

In May, at the Vikings' rookie minicamp, O'Connell highlighted Brosmer's fundamentals and football IQ, saying "you're already seeing a lot of the things that we really identified in Max to bring him into a quarterback room that we're really excited about." Then, in June, he said "I think Max is as smart as any young player that I've been around."

That's high praise. O'Connell first watched Brosmer throw at the Gophers' Pro Day in 2024, before the New Hampshire transfer ever suited up in a Minnesota uniform. On that day, Brosmer was just there to try to help the outgoing pass-catchers look good. But his arm talent stood out. O'Connell then followed the Gophers as much as he could last fall, and he got another chance to evaluate Brosmer in person at Minnesota's Pro Day earlier this year. Those two sessions were among the reasons why the Vikings committed nearly $250K guaranteed to land the one-year Big Ten starter as a UDFA.

The main tools Brosmer displayed last season on the 8-5 Gophers were accuracy and football IQ. He didn't put up huge numbers, but he took care of the ball and got better over the course of the season. After throwing six touchdowns and four interceptions in the first six games of the season, Brosmer racked up 12 TDs and just two picks in the Gophers' final seven contests. He makes up for his lack of eye-popping physical tools by being a smart quarterback who can go through his progressions and throw with anticipation and accuracy, as well as a quick release.

When his rookie training camp begins, Brosmer will look to show what he can do and potentially beat out veteran Brett Rypien for the Vikings' QB3 job behind J.J. McCarthy and Sam Howell. But even if that doesn't happen, it feels like O'Connell and the Vikings would still very much like to keep him around as a developmental QB4 option on their practice squad. On paper, Brosmer has the tools to possibly carve out a long career in the NFL as a backup QB.

Vikings estimated QB depth chart

• J.J. McCarthy
• Sam Howell
• Brett Rypien
• Max Brosmer (rookie)

Previous UDFA profiles

• Texas WR Silas Bolden
• BYU OLB Tyler Batty