The Vikings have an interesting competition going for the backup quarterback spot.
Minnesota’s backup quarterback spot will be interesting to watch as training camp continues.
The Vikings have Kirk Cousins as the clear-cut starter. But after that, it’s Sean Mannion, Jake Browning and Nate Stanley vying for spots.
Team reporter Eric Smith recently gave a brief update on the Vikings quarterbacks in training camp. He said that Mannion has looked good and Browning has taken second-team reps at times.
“Sean Mannion is one of three quarterbacks fighting for a roster spot behind Kirk Cousins, and the former third-round pick had an impressive showing Sunday.
Mannion, who was Minnesota’s backup quarterback in 2019, showed great arm strength and awareness, especially in the red zone.”
Smith also mentioned that Browning led the offense to a scoring drive in a simulated fourth quarter.
Mannion, Browning and Stanley will compete for the coveted backup spot on the roster. Last season, Minnesota had just two quarterbacks on its 53-man-roster, so winning that position is pretty crucial.
The Vikings rank second among the four NFC North teams.
For the third straight season, the Vikings will be led by quarterback Kirk Cousins.
So far, Cousins has put up solid numbers and last season, he led the Vikings to a huge playoff win over the Saints in New Orleans.
The narrative that Cousins isn’t a big-time quarterback is still there, but it’s not like the Vikings have any better options.
If Cousins were to get hurt, however, the Vikings would be doomed. Sean Mannion is Cousins’ backup, and after that, there’s Jake Browning and 2020 seventh-round pick Nate Stanley.
I would imagine Mannion will be Cousins’ backup, while either Browning or Stanley will make the practice squad. The other will likely get cut.
Even so, NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund has the Vikings’ quarterback room ranked 14th in the league.
That ranking is about where most people have Cousins in league quarterback rankings, so that sounds about right.
To round out the NFC North, the Bears rank 29th, the Lions rank 17th and the Packers rank sixth.
As Vikings team reporter Eric Smith pointed out, Kirk Cousins is locked-in to the starting job barring anything very unexpected.
Vikings team reporter Eric Smith did his “Monday Morning Mailbag,” and one of the questions asked was regarding the quarterback position.
As Smith pointed out, Kirk Cousins is locked-in to the starting job barring anything very unexpected. But after that, the position battle for the backup quarterback spot will be an interesting one.
Smith thinks the positional battle for the second quarterback spot on the depth chart could be one of the most hotly contested jobs in training camp. Here’s what Smith said:
“Sean Mannion, the backup in 2019, could get the nod if he performs well. The Vikings know the professionalism and support he provides for Kirk based on last season.
Browning spent 2019 on the practice squad as a rookie, and many are interested to see how that helped him progress as he heads into Year 2. The next month or so will be critical in his development as he tries to win the job behind Cousins.
Nate Stanley was a seventh-round selection and is also in the mix for the No. 2 gig. He had a strong career — and won a lot of games — at Iowa, but likely have to deal with the rookie transition to the NFL.”
Cousins has the starting job, but anyone from Mannion, Browning and Stanley could possibly win the spot. Mannion is the probable candidate at the moment.
The Vikings have the third best quarterback room in the NFC North, according to one NFL scout. Fair or foul?
Minnesota finished second in the NFC North this past season, thanks in large part to an effective year from its quarterback.
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins raised his QBR and attempted less passes than the season before, allowing for running back Dalvin Cook to have a big year and the team to be relatively successful.
So where does the Vikings quarterback room rank among the top quarterbacks in the NFC North? According to one NFL scout, the Minnesota quarterback room, made up of Kirk Cousins, Sean Mannion, Jake Browning and Nate Stanley, is the third best in the division, as reported by Sports Illustrated.
Here’s what the scout told SI:
“The Vikings, believing they were one player away from the Super Bowl after reaching the NFC Championship Game with Case Keenum in 2017, signed Kirk Cousins to a blockbuster contract in 2018. Of 33 quarterbacks to throw 500 passes the past two seasons, Cousins is No. 6 in passer rating, No. 5 in touchdowns and No. 2 in completion percentage. In fact, Cousins blows Rodgers out of the water in those key numbers: plus-6.5 in rating, plus-5 in touchdowns and plus-7.5 in completion percentage. However, in big moments, Cousins has struggled. In two games against the Packers last season, he had his lowest passer ratings of the season (both in the 50s), including a woeful 16-of-31 for 122 yards and five sacks in Week 16 in Minneapolis.
Sean Mannion and rookie Nate Stanley will battle to be the backup.”
Browning, who was on the practice squad in 2019, will also battle for the backup position. Chase Daniel might be a slightly better backup than Mannion or the aforementioned options for the Vikings, so that probably gives the Lions a boost.
I think it’s probably fair to rank Minnesota the third best quarterback room. The Packers will be the best until Rodgers ages too much.
The Vikings have announced that quarterback Nate Stanley has signed his rookie contract, becoming the first player in Minnesota’s draft class to do so.
In an unconventional offseason, the Vikings were among the many NFL teams that had yet to sign any of their draft picks — until Monday.
The team recently announced that quarterback Nate Stanley inked his rookie deal with the team. The Iowa product was drafted in the seventh round by Minnesota.
Stanley is one of 15 draftees that the Vikings chose, a record-breaking number for a seven-round NFL draft.
For the Hawkeyes, Stanley threw for 2,951 yards and 16 touchdowns in his final collegiate season. He didn’t put up crazy stats at Iowa, but the team isn’t known for being pass heavy, and Stanley has some physical tools that make him an enticing NFL prospect.
Minnesota re-signed backup quarterback Sean Mannion this offseason. Stanley could possibly compete for Mannion’s backup spot, along with Jake Browning, another quarterback on the Vikings roster, who was on the practice squad in 2019.
Mannion seems like the favorite to win the spot, but you never know.
Check out what Madden rated Vikings quarterbacks Jake Browning and Nate Stanley.
The Vikings have an interesting situation at quarterback beyond Kirk Cousins.
There’s Sean Mannion, the backup quarterback last season who has a chance to win the job again. And then there’s Jake Browning, a quarterback who made the practice squad last season, who has a chance to move up the depth chart.
Vikings fans also can’t forget about Nate Stanley, the seventh-round draft pick out of Iowa.
Due to having no regular season reps between Browning and Stanley, it’s pretty hard to quantify how good they’re going to be in 2020. But Madden tried to do just that.
The game released ratings for both Browning and Stanley, both of whom earned a rating of 53 overall.
Browning has a short throw accuracy rating of 77, a medium throw accuracy score of 68 and a deep throw accuracy score of 68. He also has a 74 rating when it comes to play-action passing.
Stanley has a short passer rating of 73, a medium passer rating of 65, a deep passer rating of 67 and a play-action rating of 75.
Those two might be tough plays for now, but if they impress at any point in 2020, you never know, maybe they start earning a better rating.
Kirk Cousins is almost certainly the starter, but after that, it’s a wide open race at quarterback.
Kirk Cousins proved some naysayers wrong in 2019.
The Vikings quarterback struggled in 2018, his first season with Minnesota, but came back and led the Vikings to a 10-6 regular season record and a playoff victory.
Cousins threw for 3,603 yards, 26 touchdowns and just six interceptions. However, he loses his leading receiver in Stefon Diggs. Hopefully Cousins has similar production with Gary Kubiak, the new offensive coordinator and other receivers besides Diggs.
Barring anything crazy, Cousins is most likely the starting quarterback for the Vikings in 2020, that much is true, but the quarterbacks behind him on the depth chart will have to compete to be depth players.
Here are three storylines surrounding the most important position on the field:
A quarterback found in the seventh round. Welcome to the Vikings, Nate Stanley.
The Vikings extended quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason. The team also re-signed Sean Mannion, the backup quarterback in 2019.
But that didn’t stop the team from taking another quarterback in the NFL Draft. Minnesota took Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley with the 244th pick, a seventh-round draft choice.
Stanley had the top score on the Wonderlic test among quarterback prospects this season. Stanley had 2,951 yards, 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Hawkeyes in 2019. He also garnered honorable mention All-Big Ten by the conference’s coaches. Gophers fans might remember Stanley throwing for two touchdowns against Minnesota in 2019, helping Iowa pull off a big victory over the team.
Stanley isn’t a perfect prospect by any means, and his stats aren’t off the charts. However, he has good physical tools and arm strength, giving him a chance to be solid at the NFL level. I think he’ll compete for the backup quarterback spot with Mannion. Overall, good value towards the end of the draft.
With the Jets in need of a backup quarterback, they could take one in the later rounds in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Jets don’t need a starting quarterback, not with Sam Darnold in the fold for years to come. They do, however, lack depth behind him, which is why it wouldn’t be surprising if they drafted a gunslinger later this week.
New York has two other quarterbacks on the active roster in David Fales and Mike White. Neither of them has proven that they’re capable backup quarterbacks, however, and the Jets have found themselves in need of one in each of Darnold’s first two seasons in the league.
Darnold has missed a combined six games due to a foot strain and mononucleosis. In those six games, the Jets are winless. Darnold hasn’t proven that he can play a full season and the Jets haven’t shown they can win without him.
It wouldn’t come as a shock if the Jets sign a veteran signal-caller in free agency, but what about drafting a quarterback in the later rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft?
According to the Daily News’ Manish Mehta, the Jets had virtual meetings with five quarterbacks: Princeton’s Kevin Davidson, Florida International’s James Morgan, Michigan’s Shea Patterson, Virginia’s Bryce Perkins and Iowa’s Nate Stanley. All are potential mid-to-late-round picks, which is all New York could afford to spend on a backup QB given other holes on the roster.
The Jets have one pick in the fourth round, one in the fifth round and two in the sixth round. Any of those picks could be used to draft a quarterback. None of those names are going replace Darnold at the top of the depth chart — and they may not even be viable backups right away — but the Jets could at least attempt to develop their own guy in Adam Gase’s offense and hope he turns into a reliable emergency option.
A new signal-caller is far from Gang Green’s most pressing need, but with a few options to choose from, don’t be surprised if the Jets add another quarterback with the hopes of him becoming Darnold’s understudy.
Touchdown Wire analyzes the strengths, weaknesses of this year’s QB class, including Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love and Jake Fromm.
This was supposed to be the Season of Tua.
The Alabama passer, coming off a strong 2018 campaign, was poised to be the premier quarterback in this draft class. Sure, players such as Oregon’s Justin Herbert and perhaps an upstart like Utah State’s Jordan Love might make some noise, but Tua Tagovailoa was expected by many to be the quarterback teams were clamoring for at the top of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Someone forgot to tell Ed Orgeron and Joe Burrow.
The LSU Tigers, in part riding the magical right arm of Burrow, ran to the top of the college football world this season. Burrow, the former Ohio Mr. Football who transferred out of a crowded quarterback room at Ohio State to the SEC and Orgeron’s Tigers, broke record after record as a passer this season, leading the Tigers to a championship win over Clemson. A quarterback who before the season was viewed as a fringe Day 3 prospect now is expected to be the first player selected overall.
As for Tagovailoa, lower body injuries, including a season-ending hip injury, have clouded his draft status. That has opened the door for perhaps a player like Herbert or Love — or even both — to come off the board before the Alabama QB.
So how do the top eleven passers in this year’s crop of quarterbacks shake out?
Bio: A highly regarded recruit coming out of high school, where he was named Ohio Mr. Football his final season at Athens High School, Joe Burrow started his college career at Ohio State. However, with a crowded quarterback room that included Dwayne Haskins, J.T. Barrett and Tate Martell, Burrow eventually found his way to the transfer market and the LSU Tigers.
It is difficult to recall a rise like Burrow has experienced over the past season. Given the extensive, year-round coverage that the NFL draft receives online and in print, the summer scouting season often uncovers a few wild cards at every position, quarterback included. This past summer, players such as Cole McDonald of Hawaii and K.J. Costello from Stanford were mentioned as possible draft board risers. Yet Burrow was almost an afterthought. Even someone who wrote about him, like me, still viewed him as a Day 3 guy.
But then, this season happened. Burrow put together a memorable senior season, capping it with a Heisman Trophy and a national championship. Only, this was not your father’s LSU passing game. The Tigers were an aerial assault this season, with Burrow setting FBS and school records in a number of categories. His 60 passing touchdowns are a new FBS record, and his efficiency rating of 202.0 is also a collegiate record. His 5,671 passing yards are a new single-season record at LSU, and his 76 career touchdowns (remember, 60 of those came last season) are a new mark at the school, besting Tommy Hodson’s previous mark of 69.
Stat to Know: Burrow’s numbers this season are all prolific, and any of the previous numbers mentioned could fit this category. However, when you consider that in the NFL the vast majority of throws are made within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, Burrow this season completed 206 passes on 238 attempts for 15 touchdowns and not a single interception on throws in the 0-9 yards downfield range. His passer rating in that area was 122.9.
Strengths: However, Burrow is not the top quarterback in this class for the numbers he put on the field, but rather how he put those numbers together. He displayed throughout his senior campaign the traits and work that are desired in the league. He displayed accuracy to all levels of the field, and Pro Football Focus charted him with the highest percentage of on-target passes of any quarterback in their four seasons of measuring that statistic.
Beyond that, Burrow’s ability to maneuver around crowded and collapsing pockets has him ready to handle life as an NFL quarterback. In Joe Brady’s offense, the vast majority of the passing plays were five-man protection schemes, leaving Burrow responsible for that sixth, unaccounted for, defender. But he was adept at either using his legs to extend plays (all while keeping his eyes downfield) or finding his hot receiver to make the defense pay for blitzing him.
Burrow also has the ability to make anticipation throws, better than his peers and among the best we have seen from a prospect in recent history. His ability to get the ball out on time and in rhythm, before his target makes his break, is going to give his receivers a chance after the catch from Day One … and make his receivers very happy.
Finally, Burrow does a lot of the little things extremely well as a quarterback, from using his eyes to influence defenders to employing shoulder shrugs and/or pump fakes to get defenders out of position. This extends from his feet to his toes. Watch his footwork in the pocket, Burrow is always in position to throw from a solid platform, even if he is moved off his spot, or carrying out a mesh with the running back on an RPO design.
Weaknesses: Perhaps the biggest weakness with Burrow is that the rise almost seems too perfect. It makes one wonder if it was the quarterback, or Joe Brady’s offense, that led to his rocketing up draft boards. Burrow is not a huge threat as a runner. He will get you what he can with his legs, but defenses are not going to dedicate a ton of resources to stopping him as a ball-carrier. He lacks upper-level arm talent, and on some of his deeper throws he needs to put more air on the football. However, he is still very accurate down the field, and his ability to anticipate helps him in this regard.
Conclusion: Burrow is a scheme-diverse, well-rounded quarterback prospect who should be the top player off the board come draft night. His lack of fear in the pocket and his willingness to give his receivers a chance is going to win the respect of teammates early in his career. His ability to anticipate throws and extend plays is going to lengthen his career. Finally, you cannot oversell the competitive toughness factor. Sometimes you just know when a quarterback inspires those around him, and you saw that this season with Burrow and the Tigers. He has that it factor, and it matters at the quarterback position.
Comparison: Tony Romo with a small side of Tom Brady. Look, comparisons are dangerous, especially when you slide in Tom Brady’s name next to a quarterback. But watching Burrow’s footwork in the pocket, from creating space to keeping his feet ready to throw, gives me Brady vibes. Overall, Burrow is very similar to the former Dallas Cowboy.
