ESPN Insider Shares Some Vikings QB Nuggets
The hot topic in the Twin Cities remains the quarterback position, which will likely continue to be the case throughout the summer. The Vikings hired Kyler Murray to compete with J.J. McCarthy, something the two have started doing this week in their first OTA practices.
Early reports suggest that Murray looks like a talented veteran quarterback, while McCarthy has been an improved passer, though not quite on Murray’s level. That, of course, could change over the next couple of months and one or two practice sessions in shorts isn’t a particularly impressive sample size.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler appeared on NFL Live and revealed, “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, so the expectation leaguewide is that he will have the leg up.”
Murray has always been a confident player. As a star athlete in high school and college, as well as the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft and a top ten pick in baseball, that’s certainly not surprising whatsoever.
And he can be confident in Minnesota, given his competitor McCarthy has only played in ten games, and most of those were poor. Murray, meanwhile, has a couple of Pro Bowl campaigns on his resume. He’s the more experienced player and if the draft pedigree is any indication, also more talented.
Still, his career trajectory has gone down in recent years and that’s where McCarthy could have an opportunity. According to Fowler, there are some positive signs.
“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 all the time. He’s shown some things this spring that have been impressive so far.”
A major problem in McCarthy’s first season as Minnesota’s QB1 was that seemingly every pass was a laser. He lacked the touch to layer passes in holes of the defense and he failed to make life easy for receivers by putting some air under his throws. Having worked on that aspect is encouraging.
The result in 2025 was a lousy passing attack and a subsequent pathetic offense that certainly held back the entire operation last year. Despite Brian Flores’ monster defense, the Vikings missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record. The season was virtually over by Thanksgiving.
Still, McCarthy wouldn’t be the first 23-year-old quarterback to make a jump in an offseason working on his craft.
But unseating Murray, who’s an overwhelming favorite according to sportsbooks, is still a long shot.
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis wrote after the media’s first practice session in OTAs, “Murray, picked No. 1 in 2019 by the Arizona Cardinals, showcased his feel as a passer with several touch throws. Then, after practice, when speaking to local media in person for the first time, Murray’s answers oozed with comfort and conviction.”
McCarthy’s answers raised some eyebrows, though the backlash was likely overblown.
Either way, all signs point towards Murray running away with the starting role. It should be noted, though, that both signal-callers have struggled with injuries in recent years and seeing both play snaps in 2026 would hardly come as a surprise.
Both passers will be monitored by the media and fans over the next three months. Head coach Kevin O’Connell will eventually have to name a starter at some point.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.