The Minnesota Vikings are going through a crucial offseason as head coach Kevin O’Connell is in the early stages of determining the winner of the quarterback derby. Holdover J.J. McCarthy and former Arizona Cardinal Kyler Murray will show off their talents throughout training camp and into the preseason before the head coach makes a decision on who will be under center when the Vikings host the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.
O’Connell is under extreme pressure as the Vikings prepare for the 2026 season, which is his fifth with the team. The Vikings have had two playoff seasons under O’Connell in 2022 and 2024 but had disappointing seasons in 2023 and 2025. If the Vikings don’t get back to the playoffs in 2026, it may be difficult for O’Connell to retain his position.
The competition is an interesting one. The Vikings drafted McCarthy in 2024 with the No. 10 overall pick after he led Michigan to the national championship. His rookie season was ruined when he tore his meniscus in his first preseason game. McCarthy was able to play last year, but he had nagging injuries slowed his development and his overall performance was inconsistent. The Vikings did not have an adequate backup and they fell out of the playoff race quickly. They fell to 4-8 before they won their last five games to finish with a respectable 9-8 record.
Murray wants to get significant reps in O’Connell’s offense
Murray was a proven performer with the Cardinals. He has shown off a strong and accurate arm along with his brilliant athleticism. However, he has struggled with injuries in two of the last three years. He is healthy now and he is trying to master O’Connell’s offense.
Murray had his best season in 2021 when he completed 333 of 481 passes for 3,787 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also ran for 423 yards and 5 touchdowns, and that included 25 rushing attempts that resulted in first downs.
He wants to perform at that kind of level — or better — with the Vikings. Learning the team’s offense takes significant time. Murray would like to get enough reps in minicamp and training camp so that he knows all the nuances of the offense and can lead the Vikings efficiently.
He did not feel that he has gotten enough reps at this early point in the competition. “The toughest part, I was (in Arizona) for seven years. I know I had two different offensive systems, but at the same time, you’re getting all of those reps,” Murray said. “Now, having to split reps, me already being behind, not getting the amount of reps you would typically want a guy to get learning the offense, that’s probably the toughest part.”
Getting a chance to compete on even footing
Murray is not whining or complaining. He wants to be the quarterback who leads the Vikings to a winning season, one that sees them get back to the playoffs and helps them win in the postseason. Murray is a proven NFL quarterback who is a two-time Pro Bowl performer. He is extremely difficult for opposing teams to defend, and he wants an opportunity to show that to O’Connell, his coaching staff and his new teammates.
McCarthy may not have established himself as a winning NFL quarterback at this point, but he knows the system because he has been around for two full seasons. He doesn’t have to learn a whole new way of reading defenses or getting on the same page as receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson. Murray still has to get used to the responsibilities that come with running the Vikings offense and he should be getting these early reps.
The key for Murray is having the full understanding of what the Vikings offense is all about, understanding the talents and nuances of his teammates and feeling confident in his preparation.
Murray should command the QB1 position
It seems likely that Murray will have an excellent chance to win the job in training camp if he is fully prepared and understands what O’Connell is expecting from him. That does not mean simply outperforming McCarthy, it means that he understands the full potential of what the offense is capable of producing.
Murray clearly has a lot of talent as he has completed 68.8 percent of the passes he has thrown in his career and he has a 121-60 TD to interception ratio. Those numbers are significant and it will be difficult for McCarthy to overcome them
While Jefferson is not going to get the deciding vote, it seems that he would have a better chance to put huge numbers on the board if Murray is under center. There were a number of occasions last year when Jefferson was wide open and McCarthy missed him or did not throw the ball with the proper pace.
Jefferson caught 84 passes for 1,048 yards last season but had just 2 TD catches. An excellent QB-WR relationship between Murray and Jefferson could result in the receiver having a brilliant season. It would not be a shock if Jefferson had nearly 2,000 receiving yards and double-digit TD receptions if he had an excellent working relationship with Murray.
The Vikings need Murray under center if they are going to reach their offensive potential in this crucial season.
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