Kyler Murray will address any concerns some may have on Sept. 13, when the Minnesota Vikings face the Green Bay Packers. One worry some have about Murray is whether he can play on time and stay within head coach Kevin O’Connell’s system.
Nonetheless, former Vikings wideout Adam Thielen can address any concerns some might have about Murray as he looks to get off on the right foot in this fresh start in Minnesota.
“People don’t realize with Kyler, and KOC had mentioned this to me, KOC had mentioned that he does play on time,” Thielen said in a Sept. 12 video from SiriusXM NFL Radio. “He has the ability to throw the slant route on a three-step drop, and he has the ability to do the hard play-action, step up in the pocket and launch it down the field.”
Murray will look to translate this production from Arizona and find the consistency he couldn’t find with the Arizona Cardinals. During his seven seasons in Arizona, Murray posted a passer rating of 92.2 with 20,460 yards, 121 touchdowns, and 60 interceptions in 87 games, per StatMuse.
Kyler Murray Can Take Advantage of Having Justin Jefferson
Another question is whether Murray can take advantage of a wideout of Justin Jefferson’s caliber and get him the football to have a bounce-back season. Thielen believes that the former No. 1 pick can do that and cites a specific practice that he saw in person during Vikings training camp.
“There was a play at the end of the joint practice that I was at against the Ravens that they had done okay on offense, not great, that whole time, and then they go to this two-minute drill, and same thing, he takes a big drop,” Thielen added. “They had a rush around the edge.
“He steps up and he just launches one and when he threw it, you’re like, ‘Oh, he overthrew [Jefferson] by a mile,’ and it was like it was floated up there, and [Jefferson] just ran underneath and caught it for a touchdown. It was like that kind of stuff. You’re like, ‘All right, as a fan, as like trying to figure out what the season looks like for the Vikings, you’re like, ‘All right, this could be pretty fun. This will be interesting.'”
Vikings Handed Strong Week 1 Prediction for Kyler Murray
After last season, Minnesota is counting on Murray to make the most of the weapons around him. Although this will be the 29-year-old’s first game with the Vikings, ESPN and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah made a strong prediction ahead of the Packers matchup. Jeremiah doesn’t expect O’Connell to limit Murray or the offense.
“My gut, and this is not from talking to Kevin or anybody there, but my gut says [Murray is] just gonna let it rip,” Jeremiah said during a Sept. 11 appearance on “The Jim Rome Show.” “There’s gonna be no tiptoeing into this whole thing. You’re gonna see them taking some shots.
“You can get deep off play action for two reasons. No. 1, Kyler’s got a cannon, and No. 2, give him a little more space to be able to see and attack with Justin Jefferson downfield and all their other assortment of weapons that they possess.”
Adam Thielen Gets Real on Vikings QB Kyler Murray Before Packers Game