Vikings' QB competition may have a front-runner

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Vikings' Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy competition may have a front-runner

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Jun 19, 2026 5:19 PM ET

The Minnesota Vikings didn't love what they saw from J.J. McCarthy in his first year as a starter.

As a result, they jumped the gun and signed Kyler Murray to a one-year, "prove-it" deal as soon as the Arizona Cardinals released him.

However, as much as everyone expected Murray to take over first-team reps right out of the gate, head coach Kevin O'Connell hasn't given him the keys to the ignition just yet.

According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, the competition might drag all the way to the preseason, though Murray's chances seem better right now.

Kyler Murray might win the Vikings' QB competition

“The Vikings and head coach Kevin O’Connell are going into this with an open mind," Fowler said. "They have tried their best to simulate this 50/50 in the spring. The way the Vikings see it is: we weren’t in pads; there wasn’t a lot of hitting or contact. Let’s get to camp and see how this goes. Whether he [O’Connell] lets that competition go into preseason games will be based on feel."

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With @LauraRutledge and @JasonMcCourty pic.twitter.com/CdhIZrK6wf
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) June 19, 2026

Unsurprisingly, the word around the league is that the former No. 1 pick will ultimately take the reins of the offense:

“Most people around the league I’ve spoken to do believe that Kyler Murray will win the job,” Fowler added.

That said, the mere fact that Murray hasn't been head-and-shoulders above McCarthy should be encouraging for the Michigan product.

Granted, Murray still has to get used to a new system and terminology, but McCarthy can still hold onto his job by showing some improvement in training camp.

Former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is no longer in the building, so they might not feel as compelled to give McCarthy another shot. Still, his trade value might be almost non-existent right now, and the Vikings won't get anything close to what they gave up to get him.

Even if Murray wins the starting job as expected, the Vikings might keep whoever is QB1 on a short leash, so this saga might not be over any time soon.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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