Brett Rypien, a journeyman with reliability, was released by Minnesota. His veteran presence keeps him in play as a serviceable bench option in the right system, offering a steady hand for emergency relief and practice squad potential.

Rypien served as Minnesota’s emergency third quarterback and was released shortly after a trade that sent Howell away and a signing that brought Wentz in. His release narrows the Vikings’ veteran QB depth and elevates the urgency of Week 1 plans behind Cousins.

Rypien’s late-game struggles reinforced the Brosmer edge, showing the veteran’s limited ceiling for QB3 duties and solidifying the rookie’s roster case with accurate decisions and fewer errors under pressure.

Rypien’s presence dampened errors but dragged the QB room with a couple of rough drives. His veteran savvy and occasional accuracy stabilizes the unit when Brosmer isn’t at full spark; fantasy-wise, he holds dart-throw backup value in deeper leagues if the starter’s workload remains high.

Rypien's missteps created a decisive gap for Brosmer; his steady but uninspiring NFL résumé keeps him in the backup mix, with a realistic shot at practice squad safety and limited Week 1 contingency if needed.