Is Vikings' Kyler Murray offense better for Carson Wentz than J.J. McCarthy?

Shortly after quarterback J.J. McCarthy failed to impress in the Minnesota Vikings' 13-3 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens this past Saturday, former Vikings linebacker and current analyst Ben Leber suggested that Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell may name veteran Carson Wentz as the primary backup behind starter Kyler Murray.

On Tuesday morning, Vikings reporter Alec Lewis of The Athletic shared a strong warning for McCarthy regarding the club's depth chart ahead of Minnesota's preseason finale at the Denver Broncos. 

Are Vikings ready to make "rational" Carson Wentz, J.J. McCarthy decision?

"As for the backup situation, McCarthy took all of the No. 2 reps in last week’s joint practices," Lewis wrote. "His performance was up and down. Another chaotic preseason outing for McCarthy — juxtaposed with Wentz’s professional-looking operation — could position the veteran as the most rational second option if Murray were to suffer an injury."

The Vikings reportedly want "to keep developing" McCarthy, a 2024 first-round draft pick who spent his entire rookie season recovering from a full meniscus repair and who has made just 10 total regular-season starts. That said, some think O'Connell may be on the hot seat heading into the 2026 campaign. He has served as Minnesota's head coach since 2022, and he has lost the only two playoff games of his tenure. 

Thus, O'Connell may not be able to afford to go back to McCarthy in the event that Murray becomes unavailable. 

Kevin O’Connell trying to alter his offense for Kyler Murray

Meanwhile, it's no secret that the Vikings' offense with Murray in the lineup will be different than what fans saw last year when McCarthy, Wentz and Max Brosmer took snaps for the club. 

"The backup quarterback conversation can misdirect from what’s actually most important," Lewis explained. "Can head coach Kevin O’Connell and Murray meld their preferences into a potent offensive vision? Training camp has offered some clues. Expect the Vikings to play more from the shotgun in 2026. Furthermore, Minnesota’s staff plans to reconfigure the passing game around Murray’s strengths. These modifications matter in the bigger picture for a franchise that has not won a playoff game since 2019."

In short, the Vikings could theoretically move on from both McCarthy and O'Connell after the 2026 season if the Murray experiment blows up in the team's face at any point over the next handful of months.