Vikings To Waive Jake Browning and Nate Stanley, Want Both on Practice Squad

The Vikings will look to keep four quarterbacks in their building in the COVID era.

It's not official yet, but the Vikings will be waiving quarterbacks Jake Browning and Nate Stanley, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. They want to keep both guys on the practice squad if they clear waivers.

Given the unique circumstances of this season, it's not surprising that the Vikings want to keep four quarterbacks in their building. There's no way to avoid the possibility that Kirk Cousins or Sean Mannion could test positive for COVID-19, which would create the need for the Vikings to call up an additional quarterback. Having two guys available who know the offense would make things easier in that area.

As expected, this means the backup job belongs to Mannion for another year. He had a solid camp and was clearly above Browning and Stanley throughout all of the practices that media members were able to watch. Mannion isn't a particularly inspiring backup QB from an on-field perspective, but the Vikings like what he brings to the room in meetings and film study.

Cousins has never missed a game since becoming a starter five years ago, so the Vikings are banking on having their starter healthy all year once again.

Browning was one of the Vikings' top undrafted free agents in 2019, receiving over $100,000 guaranteed to sign with Minnesota. Stanley, meanwhile, was a late seventh-round pick in April. The Vikings want both guys to continue to develop on the practice squad.

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