Vikings announce Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz decision for Bears game

Per Kevin Seifert of ESPN, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell previously suggested that quarterback Kyler Murray would have to clear the concussion protocol by Friday afternoon to start this coming Sunday's game at the rival Chicago Bears (1-0).

On Friday, the Vikings confirmed what had become expected news. 

When will Kyler Murray be available for the Vikings? 

As shared by Seifert and others, Murray was officially ruled out on Friday for the Week 2 matchup against the Bears. Backup Carson Wentz, who helped the Vikings earn a 39-22 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13 after Murray went down, will get the nod against Chicago. 

According to Seifert, O’Connell said on Friday that he "anticipates Murray will clear" the concussion protocol at some point next week. The Vikings play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 27. 

What latest Kyler Murray update could mean for Carson Wentz

Against the Packers, Wentz completed 12-of-19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns. While those numbers may not jump off a screen for a casual fan, multiple insiders suggested during the midweek that O'Connell could stick with Wentz if the journeyman either leads the Vikings to a win over the Bears or at least hangs with Chicago QB1 Caleb Williams in a shootout that lasts through the fourth quarter of Sunday's game.

O'Connell named Murray his first-choice starter ahead of Minnesota's opening game of the preseason. However, Murray signed a league-minimum deal with the Vikings this past March, meaning O'Connell has no financial reason to play any quarterback on the roster. 

It's also worth noting that it's difficult to predict how an athlete will make a full recovery from what was a scary-looking head injury.

Meanwhile, 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy is on track to serve as the Vikings' primary backup against Chicago. One can only guess what O'Connell would do if McCarthy were needed against the Bears and then looked like a revelation at Chicago's Soldier Field. 

Shortly after O'Connell confirmed his depth chart for the Chicago game, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Vikings as 4.5-point road underdogs against the Bears.