Inside The Vikings

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

Brosmer may have the accuracy, smarts, and intangibles to stick around for a while in the NFL.
Oct 26, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer (16) celebrates his teams win after the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Oct 26, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer (16) celebrates his teams win after the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Huntington Bank Stadium. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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With Vikings training camp coming up, we're going to help you prepare by introducing you to some of the unheralded names on the roster: the undrafted rookies. Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking a look at all 21 of Minnesota's UDFA additions this year.

Vikings UDFA profile: Minnesota QB Max Brosmer

  • Age: 24
  • Size: 6'1", 217
  • RAS: None
  • 2024 stats: 268 of 403 (66.5%) for 2,828 yards, 18 pass TD, 6 INT, 5 rush TD
  • Previous school: New Hampshire (FCS)
  • Guaranteed money: $246,000
Max Brosmer
Nov 29, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer (16) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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


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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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