What did Max Brosmer prove as the backup for the Vikings?

There were multiple occasions Thursday night at SoFi Stadium when it looked like quarterback Max Brosmer was going into the game for the Vikings.

He started taking snaps from center Blake Brandel on the sideline at one point after quarterback Carson Wentz walked off the field in an immense amount of pain.

Ultimately, head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t call Brosmer’s number until very late in the 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie went on to complete 3 of 4 passes for 13 yards in garbage time.

Why didn’t O’Connell turn to Brosmer sooner with Wentz clearly feeling the effects of his injured left shoulder?

“I did think about it,” O’Connell said. “The confidence we have in Max is real. You also don’t want to send him out there and force a level of figure-it-out-ness that’s probably beyond a guy playing for the first time. That was kind of where the decision was to continue to go with Carson.”

That might be as close as Brosmer gets to seeing the field for the foreseeable future.

It sounds like quarterback J.J. McCarthy will soon be the starter once again, which, would change the pecking order at the position. It’s likely that Wentz would bump down to being the backup, and Brosmer would shift back to being available only in emergency situations.

What did Max Brosmer prove as the backup for the Vikings over the past month while McCarthy recovered from a high ankle sprain? Though he was never called into action over the past month, the rookie was clearly somebody the Vikings felt comfortable turning to in a pinch.

“You never know how this is going to unfold and he’s been ready to go,” Wentz said. “I think everybody is confident in what he brings to the table.”

That confidence in Brosmer has been building since he signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent after starring with the Gophers last fall. He made a name for himself in training camp by consistently showing he can operate within the rhythm and timing of the offense.

“He made our team for a reason,” O’Connell said. “He has an ability to throw the ball that fits with many of the things we asked quarterbacks to do.”

It also helps that Brosmer’s superpower has long been his mental capacity to process a lot of information and apply it in real time. He mentally absorbs a game plan like a veteran who has played in the NFL for more than a decade.

“There’s nobody who’s going to question Max’s preparation,” offensive coordinator Wes Philips said. “We all feel great about intangibly everything Max brings to the table.”

Those intangibles from Brosmer actually helped Wentz quite a bit during his run as a starter.

“He’s sharp,” Wentz said. “He’s been an awesome resource for me understanding the X’s and O’s of this playbook.”

The way everybody talks about Brosmer, it feels like only a matter of time before he gets a chance to show what he can do.

“I’ll keep preparing for when my time comes,” Brosmer said last month. “Whenever that is, I’ll be ready for it.”

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