The Minnesota Vikings are in the midst of OTAs with mandatory minicamp on the horizon from June 9 to June 11. Much of the focus has been on the team’s QB battle between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray.
Every throw and completion will be under the microscope and analyzed as the two players have a lot on the line in this battle. After the Arizona Cardinals cut ties with him, Murray wants to show that he’s still a starter in the league.
As for McCarthy, he’s looking to show that he can be a consistent QB after a rollercoaster 2025 season that also saw him deal with multiple injuries. Speaking of McCarthy, Vikings reporter for The Athletic, Alec Lewis, shared an update on how the third-year signal-caller is looking on the practice field.
“I understand with J.J. McCarthy coming back this spring and summer, he’s obviously been very motivated and has every reason to be motivated,” Lewis said on the June 2 edition of “The Alec Lewis Show.”
“I think, from a throwing standpoint, he’s definitely looked solid. His mechanics look smooth, and the layering he’s obviously focused on is something that he wants to continue to improve on.”
Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy Caught the League’s Eyes With Recent Comments
Moreover, Lewis shared what people around the league told him about McCarthy’s comments on his relationship with Murray, as the two are in the early stages of this QB battle.
“The comments last week definitely caught the attention of people around the league,” Lewis added. “As much as they became a big talking point, I’d say if you’re listening to this and you love JJ and view those comments as him being fired up and highly motivated, or if you view them as a prop, I’d just say that, based on conversations with people around the league, eyebrows were raised by the comments and by the juxtaposition with how Kyler talked about it.
“That said, my conversations with people internally have not been about a trade. They haven’t been about those comments. They’ve been about maximizing every single day on the field and making sure that happens. Then the chips will fall where they may.”
Ben Leber Defends J.J. McCarthy’s Comments Over Kyler Murray
Meanwhile, former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber had no problems with McCarthy’s comments. Leber noted that this isn’t a mentor-mentee situation; it’s two guys understanding they need to win this competition to prove they can be a starting QB in the NFL.
As a result, it shouldn’t be a surprise that McCarhy showed his competitive side to the media.
“I don’t know why everybody’s so shocked,” Leber said in a May 28 appearance on KFAN. “Maybe because we’ve been getting a little more political answers from [McCarthy] lately. But the thing is, it also wasn’t so over the top. It was just, ‘Here’s the facts. He sits on this side of the room. I sit on this side of the room. That’s it. We’re here to compete.'”
Last season, McCarthy played 522 total snaps for the Vikings during a campaign in which he battled injuries and rollercoaster performances. Nonetheless, the signal-caller posted a 61.8 overall PFF grade, throwing for 1,632 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions.
Moreover, McCarthy recorded 19 big-time throws and 15 turnover-worthy plays. Meanwhile, on the ground, he added 156 scramble yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Vikings Insider Gives Major J.J. McCarthy Update Before Minicamp