NFL Voices Insist J.J. McCarthy is Already Being Left for Dead
The battle between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray is in the early stages (or not even begun, depending on who gets asked). But that doesn’t mean onlookers haven’t arrived at a conclusion based on May OTAs.
Over on Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio gleans insight from ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. The end result is a piece titled “First open Vikings OTA reveals clear leader in quarterback competition.” Florio begins the piece accordingly: “The Vikings are having a true competition at the quarterback. It’s not shaping up to be much of a competition. Based on this week’s OTA session that was open to the media, newcomer Kyler Murray is well ahead of incumbent starter J.J. McCarthy.”
J.J. McCarthy Shouldn’t Lack for Motivation
To the surprise of nobody, Kyler Murray is very likely a better quarterback than J.J. McCarthy right now. Is that going to remain so by the time Week 1 arrives?
Football is often an unpredictable sport (that’s a good thing). Moreover, football is a dynamic sport, refusing to stay in a single spot. So, if Murray is indeed better as June arrives, then that’s not anything to get too worked up about. What needs to be determined is if he’ll remain better over the coming three months ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Florio, to his credit, stops short of declaring the battle won. He nevertheless offers ample skepticism for where things are trending with the Michigan man.
Consider his view on Mr. McCarthy: “McCarthy has had a fair shake. He has missed too much time due to injury, and availability is absolutely a skill. Also, McCarthy has had issues with accuracy and a fastball-heavy arsenal that keeps the Vikings from using layered passes to fuel the intermediate passing game. If McCarthy had done well enough in 2025, the Vikings wouldn’t have been looking for another viable starter in 2026. Now, the best player will play.”
Quite possibly, J.J. McCarthy will become that best player. Bridging the gap means taking two (or three) steps for every step that Kyler Murray takes. Doing so will mean that things are close going into August, which is what the kid is hoping for at this stage.
Others, though, think that the decision has been decided.
Steve Smith Jr. appears to believe that McCarthy’s downfall is certain, insisting that “anybody with a heartbeat” could beat him for the top job. Alec Lewis (The Athletic) chimed in, “This is how narratives form in this era for quarterbacks. One thing happens, and it becomes the entire picture of who a player was and is. Very wild. Lazy.”
Many view things in a manner similar to Smith, who had a legendary NFL career before becoming an analyst. He knows far more about football than myself; he’s nevertheless wrong. A team doesn’t lose the game if the score isn’t pretty in the 1st quarter. All that matters is what the score shows at the end of the 4th quarter. The QB battle is in the 1st, so there’s ample time for things to change.
Last year, J.J. McCarthy played NFL football for the first time in his life as someone coming off missing a full rookie year due to a knee injury. He had to navigate three separate injuries — ankle, concussion, and wrist — while working behind an injured o-line. So, too, did he work within an offense that refused to commit to the run even as everyone understands that his college success came from within an offense that was great at running the ball. Oh, and the team was getting him to adjust his mechanics during the season.
How does acclimating to being a starting NFL quarterback while working through various injuries, behind a makeshift offensive line, with modest ground support, and adjusting one’s technique sound? There’s a reasonable argument to be made that Minnesota overloaded the kid.
Without question, J.J. McCarthy does need to be better. Nobody can dispute that basic reality, him least of all. Writing him off, though, is remarkably foolish.
As June begins, give the kid a chance.
