The Minnesota Vikings are in the early stages of a QB battle with J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray vying for the starting job. Both players are looking to prove they can be starters in the NFL, which adds more intrigue to the battle.
After the Arizona Cardinals cut ties with him this offseason, Murray gets a fresh start in Minnesota. However, unlike in Arizona, where the franchise handed him the keys as the No. 1 overall pick, he must earn the starting job with the Vikings.
Meanwhile, McCarthy is looking to show that he’s the face of the Vikings franchise after the team used a first-round pick in 2024. As the battle is now underway, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared his thoughts on the situation.
“The interesting thing about it is that the roster needs to win now,” Breer said about the Vikings QB battle during a June 1 appearance on the “Dan Patrick Show.” “So no one’s on scholarship anymore. His draft status doesn’t matter. Whoever is the best player for us to win right now is who Kevin O’Connell is going to pick.
“That’s going to be Kevin O’Connell’s mindset in picking his quarterback now. So it’s different than it was last year. They’re not worried about the first-round investment in the player anymore. In fact, the GM who drafted J.J. McCarthy 10th overall is now gone, and there’s a new GM coming in.”
Vikings Should Go With Best Player to Be Starting QB
Moreover, Breer explained why it’s important for the Vikings to go with the best player in this battle, given the current state of their roster.
“I don’t know that the Vikings quarterback situation lines up with the timeline of the rest of the roster, right? The rest of the roster, and you can go down the list of names, has tons of guys either in the prime or the back end of the prime of their careers, right?
“So, guys like Byron Murphy and Andrew Van Ginkel, and obviously offensively you’ve got Justin Jefferson. Jordan Addison is close to the end of his deal. T.J. Hockenson is now an older player. Christian Darrisaw at left tackle. They’re invested in a ton of guys that are win-now players.”
Mike Florio Weighs In on Minnesota QB Battle
Breer isn’t the only insider sharing his thoughts on the Vikings QB battle with OTAs ongoing for the team and mandatory minicamp nearing. Regardless of who emerges as the starting QB, NBC Sports NFL insider Mike Florio states that Minnesota is in a win-win scenario.
“If this unlocks something in J.J. McCarthy that makes him as good as they thought he was going to be, then that’s a win,” Florio said on the May 28 edition of “PFT Live.”
“If it doesn’t and Kyler Murray starts this year, then that’s a win. They’re protecting themselves against J.J. McCarthy getting injured, J.J. McCarthy missing wide-open receivers, and J.J. McCarthy not doing what he needs to do.”
The Vikings QB battle storyline will dominate the summer months leading into training camp and the preseason until O’Connell decides who he will start with to open the 2026 NFL season.
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