Numerous NFL reporters and analysts made it known throughout March that they expect free-agency signing Kyler Murray will eventually emerge as the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback over 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy.
For a piece published on Thursday, Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert of ESPN broke down what individuals within the organization have said about both McCarthy and Murray over the past couple of months. Seifert also shared how the competition involving Murray and McCarthy is expected to go.
It “would be surprising” if Vikings don’t do this with Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy
“While Murray is the strong favorite to win the job,” Seifert wrote, “it would be surprising if there isn’t a split of practice reps.”
Seifert’s update suggests Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is planning to hold a true open competition for the starting job this summer. That makes sense since Minnesota made no real financial commitment to Murray. The Arizona Cardinals owed Murray $38M in fully guaranteed money for next season, so he signed a one-year contract worth $1.3M to join the Vikings.
Even before Murray put pen to paper on his agreement, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano insisted that the Vikings “are not ready to give up on” McCarthy. Seifert repeated that “the Vikings have not given up on McCarthy,” but Seifert also added that the team has acknowledged “the impact of McCarthy’s slow development” over the past two years.
Does Carson Wentz impact the Vikings’ Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy plans?
As soon as the Vikings brought veteran quarterback Carson Wentz back to the organization, some assumed that Minnesota could actively shop McCarthy before the upcoming NFL Draft gets underway on April 23. According to Seifert, “Wentz is best viewed as insurance” as long as both Murray and McCarthy remain healthy and on the roster through the spring.
“When McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury prior to his rookie season,” Seifert explained, “O’Connell said he had seen enough in training camp to believe McCarthy was the Vikings’ future franchise quarterback.”
O’Connell may not feel that same way today, but he also seems ready to give McCarthy an opportunity to prove doubters wrong.
