Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings are letting their quarterback situation play out, with incumbent and former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy duking it out with newcomer and former first overall pick Kyler Murray.
Only one of them can start.
So far, both McCarthy and Murray have already made strong impressions during the early going of the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason program.
J.J. McCarthy Gets Good News After Polarizing Kyler Murray Comments
GettyJ.J. McCarthy has drawn attention for his comments and his work on the practice field so far.
Murray has shown the kind of veteran presence one might expect from someone with his draft and Pro Bowl pedigree, but he was accused of lacking during his tenure with the Arizona Cardinals.
McCarthy’s reaction to his new teammate has been scrutinized, but it is what the Vikings think of him that matters most. Encouragingly for McCarthy, he has held his own in that regard.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on the “expectation” that Murray has a “leg up” over McCarthy.
“I talked to sources in the building who said Kyler Murray has handled himself like an alpha quarterback. He’s walked in with the experience and the swagger you would expect from a guy who’s been to Pro Bowls and had success. He’s also taken the offense very quickly; he’s absorbed it in a hurry,” Fowler said on “NFL Live” on May 29.
“However, J.J. McCarthy, I’m told that he’s made improvements that the Vikings coaches have noted and have told him so. Things like layering the ball a little better, using all the clubs in your bag. Not throwing a fastball at the time.”
McCarthy’s touch has been a source of consternation since his rookie season.
“He’s shown some things this spring that have been impressive so far,” Fowler said about McCarthy, whom the Vikings traded up to draft 10th overall in 2024.
J.J. McCarthy vs Kyler Murray: Tale of the Tape
GettyKyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy each have distinct advantages in their position battle.
McCarthy possesses a modern prototypical build, listed on the Vikings’ official website at 6-foot-3 and 219 pounds. However, after having his rookie season wiped out by a torn meniscus, McCarthy was inconsistent during another injury-marred season in 2025.
McCarthy completed 57.6% of his passes in 2025. That is the lowest among all qualifiers, per Pro Football Reference. He had 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 10 games.
Like McCarthy, Murray has a history of injuries.
He is also undersized for the quarterback position, built more like a running back, listed at 5-foot-10 and 207 pounds.
Murray is 14th in passing yards since entering the league, per Stathead. That is despite all of the time that he has missed. He has thrown the ninth-most interceptions and is tied for the fourth-most pick-6s in that same span.
There is more tape on Murray than McCarthy, but it can be used to benefit either Vikings QB.
J.J. McCarthy Gets Brutal Reality Check
GettyJ.J. McCarthy has a difficult path ahead with Minnesota.
Despite the deficiencies in Murray’s game, there appears to be a belief that he enters the fray with the Vikings with an almost insurmountable lead over McCarthy.
“There is a very realistic world where McCarthy takes clear steps this offseason and still doesn’t mount a serious challenge to Murray,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote on May 29, following the Vikings’ OTAs. “This week we saw a clear glimpse of what it would look like.”
There is still plenty of time before the 2026 regular season.
McCarthy must show a better command of the Vikings’ offense than Murray and maintain his improved accuracy to have a chance. Whether that would be enough remains unclear.
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