The Minnesota Vikings have already ruled out struggling QB J.J. McCarthy for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer will take the reins of the offense, and while he drew rave reviews in training camp, he has yet to get his first taste of actual NFL action.
Vikings Sign Desmond Ridder to Practice Squad
With that in mind, the Vikings have turned to a veteran insurance policy. According to a report by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, they just signed Desmond Ridder:
“With JJ McCarthy in the NFL’s concussion protocol, the Vikings have signed Desmond Ridder to the practice squad,” Rapoport wrote on X.
Ridder entered the league in 2022 as a third-round pick out of Cincinnati. He spent two years with the Atlanta Falcons and has also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, and now the Vikings’ practice squads.
In 25 games played (18 starts), he’s completed 63.6% of his passes for 4,002 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He also has 78 carries for 293 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
With JJ McCarthy in the NFL’s concussion protocol, the #Vikings have signed Desmond Ridder to the practice squad.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 27, 2025
The Vikings also lost veteran backup Carson Wentz to an injury, so Ridder will be the third-string/emergency quarterback to take the field if Brosmer gets hurt.
That’s far from an ideal setting against a Seattle Seahawks defense that ranks eighth in the league with an 8.02% sack percentage, according to Team Rankings.
Kevin O’Connell Still Has McCarthy’s Back
McCarthy’s play and health have been a major concern in his young career. Even so, Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell still believes he can be a franchise quarterback:
“I think you can. I do believe that,” said O’Connell, per A to Z Sports. “But it does require, as a football team, not doing things that lose games. A special teams turnover, I believe, in two out of our last three games, and then ultimately, the defense is out there battling. They’re trying to get the ball back for us as much as we can. But then there are some things where you can’t have breakdowns around that player to consistently sustain.”
McCarthy has played in a grand total of eight games (2 in the preseason), and he’s already suffered four injuries, one of which forced him to miss his entire rookie season. He’s missed 23 games, not counting Sunday’s contest.
The Michigan star ranks 38th among eligible quarterbacks with a 52.5 PFSN Impact Metric, ahead of only Dillon Gabriel and Jake Browning. And while the Vikings will most likely stay committed to him, they might at least consider their options in the offseason.