The Vikings entered the 2025 season hoping to easily transition to J.J. McCarthy as their long-term starting quarterback.
That never got here to pass. The previous No. 10 pick accomplished just 57.6% of his passes with more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (11). He also missed time as a result of three different injuries and, overall, didn’t show signs of being a franchise QB.
Minnesota then brought in Kyler Murray after he was released by the Cardinals, adding one other, more proven passer to their quarterback room. Since Arizona remains to be paying him $36.8MM this yr, the previous No. 1 pick was available for a veteran minimum salary, making him a hot commodity on the free agent market. He quickly agreed to a cope with the Vikings, indicating that he would have a probability at their starting quarterback job. However the query remained: would Murray need to take the job from McCarthy, or would the 2 begin offseason practices on equal footing?
An initial answer has come via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, who said on the Wealthy Eisen Show that the Vikings “envision it being a real competition: Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy.”
On paper, Murray must have a considerable advantage. He has 87 profession starts to McCarthy’s 10 with a significantly higher completion percentage and passer rating in 2025. But Murray can be learning a brand new offense in Minnesota, while McCarthy can be entering his third yr in Kevin O’Connell‘s system.
It’s price noting that Pelissero specifically mentioned those two quarterbacks as a part of the competition and never Carson Wentz or Max Brosmer, who’re also within the team’s quarterback room. Brosmer was abysmal in his two starts last yr, but Wentz statistically outperformed McCarthy nearly across the board. In theory, that might make him a worthy competitor for the starting job, but Minnesota moved in Murray’s direction and seems more inclined to maintain Wentz as a third-stringer.