The Minnesota Vikings are entering the 2025 NFL season with a brand new quarterback room. J.J. McCarthy will take over as the team’s starter, while Sam Howell is currently the team’s primary backup quarterback.

McCarthy has received a lot of confidence from the Vikings. They firmly believe that he will rise to the occasion and live up to the hype of being an NFL starter. However, there are concerns about Howell.

Howell, who was at one point the starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders, has yet to prove himself. So far in Minnesota, that trend has remained intact.

A new update from Alec Lewis of The Athletic has given the Vikings reason for concern when it comes to Howell.

In training camp, Howell has looked to be a beat slow in his decision-making. That has always been an issue throughout his NFL career thus far.

“The best way to sum up Howell’s performance is a beat too slow,” Lewis wrote. “Without the post-practice film, it’s impossible to assess each rep accurately. Is Howell taking a hitch because he’s not seeing the picture correctly, or is he waiting a split second extra because the receiver was rerouted by a cornerback? Whatever the case, it feels fair to say that Howell hasn’t consistently pulled the trigger promptly.”

That is not an update that any fan wants to hear about their quarterback. It could lead to Minnesota considering an upgrade behind McCarthy.

Should the second-year quarterback struggle or get hurt, the Vikings will need someone consistent to turn to. If Howell cannot be that guy, Minnesota should fix the issue before it comes up. Perhaps a trade for another quarterback could be in order.

One potential option that has been talked about a lot this offseason is a reunion with Kirk Cousins. Not only would Cousins be arguably the best backup in the NFL, he would provide excellent veteran leadership for McCarthy. It would be a match made in heaven.

Cousins knows the Vikings’ offense inside and out from his days as the starter under head coach Kevin O’Connell. It’s something the team should at least consider.

There is more time for Howell to prove that he can be the team’s backup, but right now things aren’t looking extremely positive.