Murray not expected to play Saturday against Ravens

Vikings fans hoping to see Kyler Murray in action at U.S. Bank Stadium for the first time will likely have to arrive early.

In an appearance on the Paul Allen Show on Tuesday, the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling said he “would not” expect Murray to play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Ravens. Instead, the team is placing a higher value on the pair of joint practices with Baltimore that are being held at TCO Performance Center on Wednesday and Thursday.

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The decision isn’t unsurprising. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has generally withheld starters from playing snaps in preseason. Last season, despite never having played a snap in the NFL, J.J. McCarthy only got 12 preseason snaps, while the likes of Max Brosmer, Brett Rypien, and Sam Howell handled running the offense.

In the Vikings’ 13-10 win over the Giants on Saturday, Murray was on the field for a total of nine snaps before being replaced by McCarthy. Those will likely be the only times Murray takes the field for Minnesota ahead of the season opener against Green Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Wednesday and Thursday’s joint practices will be Murray’s only time before the real games get underway to team up with Justin Jefferson against real opposition. Jefferson didn’t suit up for Saturday’s game in New York, and he is almost certainly not going to in either of the two remaining preseason games.

For McCarthy, it will be extended time to get valuable reps after losing the QB1 battle. After a rough preseason performance in New York, McCarthy is now potentially in a battle for the QB2 job with Carson Wentz. If that’s the case, then extended snaps for McCarthy and Wentz on Saturday could go a long way in determining who will back up Murray this season.