Minnesota Vikings second-year quarterback Kyle Sloter is far from a household name. However, he has the potential and the tools to be a starting quarterback in the National Football League.
Kyle Sloter vs Trevor Siemian
Sloter has outperformed his primary competition for the backup quarterback job thus far in camp. After consistently practicing well, Sloter went out and played very well in the team’s first preseason game. Siemian, on the other hand, was shaky at best in the opener. He followed that up with a rough day of practice when the Vikings returned to Minnesota. It has yet to be determined who will play with the second-team offense this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sloter has plenty of raw tools and a skill set to thrive in the NFL, but he has never played a meaningful game. He played very well last preseason with the Denver Broncos. He completed 72.1 percent of his passes for 413 total yards and three touchdowns. Despite it being just the preseason, his 125.4 rating is still worth noting.
Siemian has an edge over Sloter in terms of experience, given that he has played in 26 regular season games. He hasn’t looked great so far through three seasons, though. The former Northwestern quarterback has completed 59.3 percent of his attempts and has a 79.9 passer rating. He has also been a turnover machine with 24 interceptions and nine fumbles. Siemian has been given plenty of chances to prove himself, but he is a backup at best. Sloter has a higher ceiling and a higher floor as an NFL quarterback.
Sloter’s Tools
The Good
An important trait for quarterbacks has always been size, and Sloter definitely doesn’t lack in that department. He stands 6’5″ and 218 pounds, which allows him to stand tall in the pocket and see over his protection. At his pro day in 2017, Sloter ran a 4.79 40-yard dash and finished his 20-yard shuttle in 4.61 seconds. There is no doubt that Sloter has the athleticism and the physical tools to succeed in the NFL. But the quarterback position is about more than athleticism.
Sloter has more than enough arm strength to last in the NFL. When he stands in the pocket, he delivers the ball on a rope to where it needs to be. He can put zip on the ball in tight spaces and he can loft it into the basket down the field. There aren’t many throws that he can’t make, and that’s impressive for a young quarterback. He took his fair share of hits in the Vikings’ opener, but he hung in and threw the ball on time with ease. Whether he is on the move or in the pocket, Sloter hits the open man.
As plays break down, he has the wherewithal to break the pocket and make the play himself. He showed glimpses as a rookie of how he can improvise, evading the rush and making the tough throw. In his Vikings debut, Sloter took a bootleg for a 14-yard run that wound up a touchdown. Having the ability to make plays every now and then with his feet can be huge for his growth moving forward. The Vikings even threatened a read option several times against Denver last weekend. From the shotgun, Sloter consistently handed the ball off but attacked edge as if he were a runner. Defenses will have to account for his running ability when he is on the field.
The mental side of the quarterback position is important to look into when evaluating talent. Sloter has a short memory and a great understanding of the offense. When he misses a throw or a read, he doesn’t let it linger. He moves on to the next play or the next series. At the same time, he stays focused after making a big play instead of admiring his work. The game just does not seem to be too big for the 24-year-old. He has spent a year in the Vikings organization, but they have a new offensive coordinator this season in John DeFilippo. Now, Sloter is learning a new offense while still adjusting to the speed of the NFL and deciphering defenses.
His best moment came when he checked the defense and changed the play at the line before fading a pass to Chad Beebe in the corner of the end zone. Most young quarterbacks struggle early on with these types of reads, but Sloter does not. Minnesota faced a third-and-one in the fourth quarter and Sloter booted to his right and threw a perfect pass to pick up the first down. He kept the drive alive and eventually put the Vikings back in front late in the ballgame. There is a lot to be excited about as he learns the game even more.
Kyle Sloter was so impressive. My favorite play of his here. He notices the Cov. 0 blitz and checks to a "smash" concept (hitch/slant and corner route combo). Fades in his drop-back and lobs it up to the corner route just in time to defeat the blitz.
Great awareness by him. pic.twitter.com/ATmhAU7GdI
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) August 12, 2018
Confidence is huge for any athlete, but especially for quarterbacks. There is a thin line, though, between confident and cocky, which Sloter straddles very well. After his touchdown run on Saturday, he ran down the sideline all amped up and bringing energy to the sideline that Siemian couldn’t match.
Hand it off? @KyleSloter's like nah.
He'll just take this @Vikings touchdown in himself.
📺: @nflnetwork #MINvsDEN https://t.co/tAlnp2W8nT
— NFL (@NFL) August 12, 2018
He was spotted on the sideline living it up with his teammates, including Everson Griffen. It is clear the Sloter has won the team and he is very respected amongst the players and coaches in the locker room. When Minnesota gave up the lead, Sloter stayed calm and led two impressive touchdown drives to secure the win. He took a few low shots on the night and he was visibly in pain as he limped in and out of the huddle. But that didn’t stop him in the slightest, which is to be loved by a teammate.
The Bad
The majority of Sloter’s throws rely entirely too much on his upper body. He tends to throw off of his back foot far too often, and that will have to be cleaned up moving forward. Throwing off the back leads to inaccurate passes and floated balls that allow the defense to make a play. That also causes a lot of strain on the arm and the upper body in general.
https://twitter.com/QBFilmRoom/status/1028492195513462784
Here is another angle of Sloter’s touchdown pass. This angle gives a better view of his feet and steps as he makes the throw, just for perspective.
Sloter is caught twisting his body in awkward ways and relying on his arm for all of his power. He will have to work on stepping into and through his throws to be a more consistent passer. Stepping through will tighten his spiral and allow him to throw the ball on more of a line as opposed to an arched throw. He also needs to improve his footwork within the pocket.
While it is a bonus that he can extend the play, he struggles with setting his feet at times. There were several plays on Saturday where Sloter’s feet were set in one direction and the throw went the opposite direction. That also limits his throw power and accuracy. He also needs to stay in the pocket as much as possible. There are too many plays where he panics and tries to make a play with his legs instead of trusting the pocket. On the whole, Sloter makes good decisions. However, he does make the wrong read or the wrong throw from time to time. He will become more consistent as he develops.
Experience is the biggest issue for Kyle Sloter. He has never played in a regular season game, even though he dressed for most of the season in 2017. It is difficult to judge any player based solely on the preseason where both offenses and defenses are very vanilla. He has to make the most of his preseason reps and continue to prove that he belongs.
The Future is Bright
Sloter isn’t quite ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, but he has more than enough potential to reach that level. For now, he will be a very good backup that can manage the offense on spot duty. But what does his future look like?
The Vikings have Kirk Cousins under contract for the next three seasons. After that, they will be in a tough spot considering all of the big contracts they will have on the books. If they work with Sloter and keep him in house, he could be asked to be the next quarterback in line. His contract would presumably be much cheaper than whatever Cousins makes at that time, and he will have enough pieces in place to be successful. There is a very real possibility that Sloter develops into the Vikings starting quarterback in 2021.
Another option for the Vikings would, of course, be to trade Sloter when the time is right. If he stays on course and stays healthy, he can find his way on a new roster at some point in the near future. Teams with major holes at quarterback should take a flier on him down the road because his upside is through the roof. Kyle Sloter will be the subject of much discussion for the remainder of the preseason for the Minnesota Vikings.
