Third-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy is on the Vikings' initial 53-man roster, as is former undrafted free-agent signing Max Brosmer. David Berding / Getty ImagesAug. 30, 2026 Updated 6:34 pm EDTMINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings finalized their initial 53-man roster Sunday evening. It features four quarterbacks, including 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy and former undrafted free-agent signing Max Brosmer.Veteran Carson Wentz is also a part of the group that will back up starter Kyler Murray. As of last week, Minnesota had not finalized who would occupy the backup spot.Many around the NFL believed the Vikings would explore trade opportunities with McCarthy ahead of Sunday’s roster cutdown deadline. He did not play in Friday’s preseason finale against the Denver Broncos. He was not comfortable enough to play with an ankle injury, according to several team sources who were not authorized to speak publicly about the situation. The inactive followed a week of murkiness around McCarthy’s status.Top Plays from Vikings @ BroncosBrosmer, 25, completed 20 of his 35 pass attempts on Friday night. The team believed in his potential when it initially signed him as an undrafted free agent from the University of Minnesota. Injuries thrust him into action earlier than the Vikings had hoped, while a thumb injury prevented him from playing more in the preseason.Whether or not the Vikings proceed with four quarterbacks during the 2026 season is an open question, according to multiple NFL executives. McCarthy, 23, is entering his third season with roster control through 2027. His lackluster 2025 performance inspired the team’s decision to sign Murray this spring.This story will be updated.Aug 30, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms