An Alleged Vikings Mystery Is Brewing for Summer
During the first week of free agency, the Minnesota Vikings signed Kyler Murray after the Arizona Cardinals strangely let him depart without any rumblings of a trade. Most fans believe Murray will start Week 1 for the Vikings, but the QB1 outcome will evidently involve some mystery.
Minnesota can say all the right things now, though the pecking order should come into focus by July.
The Vikings will reportedly advertise a true camp battle, scheduled to get underway in late July.
Murray Carries the Edge into a Pivotal Vikings Camp; Some Say ‘Not So Fast’
Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy; who you got?
The Apparent QB1 Camp Battle
NBC Sports‘ Mike Florio level-set the Vikings’ QB situation this week, writing, “The Vikings currently have four quarterbacks on the roster. There is no starter, for now. Coach Kevin O’Connell explained during a recent visit with PFT Live that, eventually, there will be a clear delineation of positions on the depth chart.”
“It will come down, undoubtedly, to Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy. O’Connell explained that he has no concern about McCarthy becoming disenchanted if he doesn’t win the job.”
Training camp is about 16 weeks away.
Florio added, “The best news for the Vikings is that, however it plays out, they’ll have a solid No. 2 and (if Carson Wentz makes the final 53) a third-stringer who can win games if need be.”
“Last year, Wentz showed up less than two weeks before Week 1, and he played better than anyone could have expected. This year, he’ll be involved throughout the offseason program and training camp.”
Writing Already on the Wall
The Vikings can advertise and promote a quarterback battle until they’re blue in the face, and that’s fine. But the fact remains that Murray didn’t pick Minnesota last month just to sit on the bench. He’s not a wayward, down-on-his-luck bust like Sam Darnold seemed in 2024; Murray is a legitimate NFL starter who, according to most, lived on a notoriously bad team.
So while some will draw parallels between Murray and Darnold, Murray starts his career’s second act from a much better spot than Darnold. Darnold was a punchline before 2024; Murray is not.
McCarthy can do his damnedest to compete for the QB1 job, but it’s Murray’s to lose.
Injuries to Remember
Still, Murray is not guaranteed to play a full season. He’s played a full season’s worth of games three times in his career of an eligible seven opportunities. All told, Murray has missed 24% of his games in his career, meaning he plays about 12 or 13 games annually on average.
Therefore, when the time arrives, McCarthy must be ready. McCarthy personally isn’t a beacon of durability either; it’s one of the main reasons Murray ended up in the Twin Cities this offseason. With O’Connell likely needing a winning season, complete with a playoff appearance and/or win, he could not wholly trust McCarthy’s rapidly accumulating injury resume.
But if Murray goes down — he usually does — McCarthy’s name will be called for an almighty chance to show off his refined mechanics and development.
Cinema at Training Camp Nevertheless
Minnesota started holding a quarterback training camp in 2024, but most assumed that Darnold — who was thought of as a dud at the time — would win the QB1 job that summer, at least in a bridge-quarterback capacity. This time, the Vikings coaching staff will tell the world it’s “Murray v. McCarthy,” marking the first quarterback battle at camp since the Teddy Bridgewater era (possibly earlier, depending on your recollection).
A teammate of McCarthy at Michigan, Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum, recently opined on McCarthy. He told NFL.com:
The ceiling is so high for J.J. You’ve got to think, his rookie year, he went down with the injury. Last year, he had a bunch of injuries, as well, so he hasn’t been on the field much. He hasn’t really had a lot of playing time that quarterbacks need. It’s a lot different going from college to the NFL. J.J. is a field general. I think he’s going to take the challenge that they’ve given him, obviously bringing in Kyler Murray, there’s gonna be a competition.
That’s going to light a fire under him. But he’s just an overall good human being. He’s a competitor. I know he’s not someone who’s going to let naysayers or outsiders determine the type of player he’s going to be. He still has the pencil in his own hand. He’s still writing his story. I think this is going to be a great year for J.J., and I’m super excited to see him prove everyone wrong.
Kirk Cousins held down the QB1 spot from 2018 to 2023, and quarterback competition just was not a thing.
They’re back, though, even if most of the world knows that Murray will be under center in Week 1.
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