Gophers in NFL: Max Brosmer impresses in first NFL preseason action
Former Minnesota Golden Gophers starting quarterback and current Minnesota Vikings backup Max Brosmer got his first opportunity to play in the NFL preseason on Saturday.
After J.J. McCarthy got the start and Sam Howell played most of the game, Brosmer came in for Howell early in the fourth quarter.
The former Gopher impressed in his time on the field, completing 5-of-8 passing attempts for 47 yards and one touchdown. His final QBR for the game was 118.1, the highest of any of the four quarterbacks the Vikings played in their preseason opener.
Brosmer’s lone touchdown pass of the game came with 9:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, hitting Myles Price on a post-route to give the Vikings at the time a 20-10 lead. More impressive about the throw is that it was his fourth progression on the play, showing the ability to process the game at a fast rate.
“I thought Max did a pretty darn good job coming in there, and putting the ball in the endzone there,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said about Brosmer’s performance.
Brosmer, this camp is competing to make the Vikings’ 53-man roster. While some teams opt to carry only two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, 13 last season chose to start the season with three, including the Vikings.
Minnesota’s starting job and backup job are both likely locked up already. Former Michigan star and first-round pick J.J. McCarthy will be the Vikings’ starting quarterback, while former North Carolina standout Sam Howell will likely be the backup. However, with his strong performance in camp thus far and his time on the field on Saturday, Brosmer is making a strong impression and pushing to make the Vikings’ roster this upcoming season.
Even if Brosmer finds himself on the outside looking in on the 53-man roster, it is almost certain that either the Vikings or another organization would put Brosmer on their practice squad.
In his lone season as a Gopher, Brosmer completed 268-of-403 passing attempts for 2,2828 yards and 18 touchdowns to six interceptions while leading the Gophers to an 8-5 overall record.
Ersery, Jackson make preseason debuts
Brosmer was not the only former Gopher to make his preseason debut on Saturday, as former Minnesota offensive lineman Aireonate Ersery, a second-round pick of the Houston Texans, and star wide receiver Daniel Jackson, an undrafted free agent, also played.
Ersery was strong in his first taste of NFL action, especially on the ground, with the Texans averaging over 6.0 yards per carry when rushing behind the former Gopher. A likely starter for the Texans this season, Ersery only played one drive on Saturday.
Jackson, on the other hand, saw a handful of snaps and one passing target but did not record any stats.
