The Green Bay Packers have the quarterback position figured out, and it has been that way for three decades. The Minnesota Vikings? Less so, and they are running into a potential disaster.
Minnesota famously opted against moving for Aaron Rodgers this offseason, instead showing faith in J.J. McCarthy, who is effectively a rookie, and trading for Sam Howell to back him up.
Well, it only took two preseason games for Howell to hit the hot seat, potentially leaving the Vikings scrambling for a new backup. It makes the Packers even more thankful for the backup quarterback nightmare they avoided by trading for Malik Willis this time last year.
Packers can be even more thankful for Malik Willis after latest Vikings QB prediction
One prediction for the Vikings to solve their quarterback conundrum is to trade for Kenny Pickett. Minnesota already moved down 30 spots in the fifth round of this year's draft to land Howell, and now the team may need to give up more draft capital for a veteran like Pickett, who is unlikely to win the job in Cleveland.
It's totally fair. Pickett would make sense for the Vikings, but it further highlights the potential nightmare brewing in the Twin Cities.
Green Bay found itself in a tricky spot last August after Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt disappointed in preseason action. General manager Brian Gutekunst smartly ignored the calls to sign veteran Ryan Tannehill and instead traded for Willis. It's the best seventh-round pick he'll ever spend, as Willis' 2-0 record in starts (and a game-winning performance off the bench against the Jaguars) saved the Packers' season.
Jordan Love is entering Year 3 as the starter, while Willis is a reliable backup who now has even more familiarity with the offense.
The Vikings, meanwhile, are pinning their Super Bowl hopes on a quarterback with zero NFL snaps, and his backup? Howell? Pickett? They may as well go the full comedy route and bring back Kirk Cousins at this point.
Minnesota watched its neighbors find tremendous success at the position while setting out a clear path on how to do it — draft a QB when you don't need one and let them learn behind a veteran. Instead of following in Green Bay's footsteps, the Vikings decided to throw a quarterback with no regular-season experience into the starting job for a team with all-in Super Bowl ambitions.
The Vikings had a chance to follow the blueprint by, ironically, signing Rodgers as their bridge QB. The four-time MVP was reportedly willing to mentor McCarthy while leading a Super Bowl charge in Minnesota. The Vikings could've had the perfect setup while also delivering the ultimate slap in the face to Packers fans who idolized Rodgers for 18 years.
Instead, they took a gamble with Howell that has already backfired.
Over in Green Bay, Love is quietly setting the stage for a breakout season, while Willis, now with a year in Matt LaFleur's offense, is ready to step in at a moment's notice.
The Packers dodged a backup QB disaster last season. Now, the Vikings are walking into one they could've avoided a million miles away.
Signing Aaron Rodgers doesn't sound so bad now, does it?