Vikings Snag 2 Passers to Keep Ball Spinning for Today’s Work at TCO

Rookie minicamp would be difficult to pull off without somebody to toss the pigskin. The Vikings snagged a pair of arms to address the deficit.

Consider what Ben Goessling of The Star Tribune had to say: “The two QBs for the #Vikings’ rookie minicamp this weekend are Aidan Bouman — son of former Vikings QB Todd Bouman — and veteran invite Cooper Rush, who made his first NFL start at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2021, when he led the Cowboys to a Sunday night win over Mike Zimmer’s final team.”

Vikings Snagged Two Passers for Minicamp

Lately, the news has been focused on WR Jauan Jennings. Bringing him to town greatly enhances the danger of the offensive attack. No longer is there concern about the (potential) drop off at WR3.

Lingering in the background of those receiver quibbles — concerns that are largely satisfied by Mr. Jennings — are the young fellas who have been tossed into the mix. UDFA signing Dillon Bell has generated optimism. Likewise, there have been other young receivers tossed into the equation, such as Luke Wysong, Marcus Sanders Jr., and Shaleak Knotts (among others).

Who is going to pass the ball to these guys?

Last year, the Vikings had Max Brosmer as a rookie. He could shoulder a lot of the burden as he got acclimated to life as a pro. Such is not the case for the current iteration of the Minnesota Vikings due to no quarterbacks being added via the draft or undrafted free agency. A pivot toward a pair of arms therefore makes sense.

Aidan Bouman makes sense as a regional guy, having played college ball at South Dakota (which is to say nothing of the family connection Goessling highlights). The likelihood of him proving so impressive that he gets invited back to compete for a roster spot as a member of the 90-man offseason roster is low, but all a ball player can ask for is a chance. The focus shifts to him making the most of his opportunity.

For Cooper Rush, the intrigue is a bit higher since he has proven to be a capable NFL passer, if only in a depth capacity.

The 32-year-old boasts a pretty nice build for the position at 6’3″ and 225 pounds. The great majority of his experience came down in Dallas but he snagged some work in Baltimore, as well. Since 2017, Rush has played in 42 games while starting 16. His career stats show a 61.1% completion rate alongside a 20/14 TD-to-INT ratio.

Now, that’s not to say the Vikings are looking to acquire Cooper Rush.

What he offers, though, is a veteran presence who now has a touch more familiarity with the team’s coaching staff. A future where the position gets walloped by injury yet again could involve giving him a call to see about coming in as a QB3 or practice squad passer.

Craig Peters offers a broader list of everyone who is involved with the festivities at rookie minicamp. Lots of the participants are the drafted players alongside the UDFA haul, but there’s a ton of tryout players, too. Sometimes, those guys impress, earning a contract to come back for other portions of the offseason.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.