The Vikings’ availability was put to the test as a result of the league’s COVID-19 protocols but it provided Jake Browning with a unique opportunity to cement his status as their primary backup quarterback — something that was in jeopardy as a result of the Vikings’ selection of third-round pick Kellen Mond.
Throwing at least 80 passes — 37 in team drills — Browning likely will have to take full advantage of the day off from practice the Vikings had planned for Sunday. But in the process, his good day can give Vikings fans a bit more confidence in their quarterback situation should they be put into an unlikely emergency scenario.
Starting the day shaky, Browning had difficulty connecting on deep passes in the early section and found himself overthrowing on intermediate passes. But his improvement over the course of the practice was clear, especially in seven-on-seven drills, where he completed a number of deep throws with near-perfect accuracy.
That allowed the Vikings to confront a critical question heading into the season — is Browning ready to be the backup should the starter go down?
The first few days of practice and all of minicamp showcased a player who didn’t look capable. He was missing targets on a consistent basis and even made it difficult to evaluate the receivers outside of the top two as they didn’t get many chances to shine with accurate throws.
