Souhan: When will J.J. McCarthy return to Vikings?

LONDON – The Vikings enter the bye week with three fascinating quarterbacks and a fascinating quandary.

At least, that’s what it looks like from the outside.

But there is a reason the Vikings’ decisionmaking in this instance is easy to predict and inherently logical, even if their likely decision won’t necessarily be immediately popular with their fan base.

First, let’s take a realistic look at their current three quarterbacks.

He orchestrated a remarkable game-winning drive on Sunday in London. He is 2-1 as a starter, and his loss occurred in a game that was lost as much because of poor offensive line play and an inability to stop the Steelers’ previously mediocre offense as it was because of Wentz’s play.

Give him high grades for being a quality backup, a tough human and an admirable competitor.

He’s played eight NFL quarters. He has played well in one of them. He remains an awkward match for a veteran roster trying to win big this season. He is also a top-10 draft pick with obvious talent and a championship pedigree.

Give Brosmer this: He looks like an NFL quarterback when he’s standing on the sideline. He’s a big, strong guy with arm talent who has demonstrated composure when given a chance to play.

If fans were running the Vikings, they might be tempted to stick with Wentz, who is probably better equipped to play behind a mangled offensive line at this point in his career than either of the youngsters.

And there will be many who admired Brosmer’s play for the Gophers and in this preseason, and will want him to get a shot.

This is where a reminder is in order.

If all the Vikings wanted at their quarterback position was efficient passing (which Brosmer might provide), they would have kept Kirk Cousins.

They cut Cousins and Darnold loose because their goal is to win a Super Bowl, and they believe the best way to achieve that goal is to develop a talented youngster who will be around and affordable for years.

That’s McCarthy.

McCarthy has a high ankle sprain. He might not be fully ready to play coming out of the bye, and it would be foolish to play him until he is healthy and playing behind a relatively healthy offensive line.

But he is the Vikings starting quarterback.

You don’t draft someone with a top-10 pick, then give up on him because he looked overmatched in one game.

McCarthy should return when he’s ready, regardless of how Wentz plays or Brosmer looks when we get a glimpse of him.

Consider this: McCarthy played 40 games at Michigan and won a national title while playing for Jim Harbaugh, one of the world’s best quarterback coaches.

Then he spent a year studying Kevin O’Connell’s offense from the sideline while injured.

If he looked unready to take on the massive responsibilities of an NFL starting quarterback at the beginning of his second season, how could Brosmer, who played only one year of major college football with the Gophers, be ready?

Probably the best way to look at this “competition” is this:

So this year should be about developing McCarthy, while hoping he can also win games.