Minnesota Vikings training camp begins on August 1. However, theories about who will start at the quarterback position continue to pour in. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert gave the edge to Kyler Murray in a column published on Thursday morning.
Murray was thought to be a stabilizer for the quarterback position when the Vikings signed him to a one-year deal in March. There has been speculation over the last couple of weeks as to who will start at the quarterback spot. While it appears that this may still be a competition, Seifert notes that Murray appears to be the favorite for the job. He expanded on this in his column on Thursday morning.
Murray is the heavy favorite to win the job, but it’s impossible to pull eyes away from any unsettled quarterback situation. In his previous seven NFL seasons, Murray has displayed the arm talent necessary to succeed in O’Connell’s offense. But how long will it take him to grow accustomed to what is admittedly a complex scheme, one that requires active eyes and patient feet in the pocket?
Murray was signed to be a veteran starter in a quarterback room that needed stability. That was evident by his contract. The former Arizona Cardinals star is coming off an injury of his own. He suffered a mid-foot sprain in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans and had to miss the rest of the season. Now, he will look to get involved in this quarterback competition in a major way.
McCarthy Had Flaws For Vikings Last Season
The idea that J. J. McCarthy is fighting for his football future is certainly a reality. The Michigan product dealt with injuries last season. However, he struggled when he was under center. He finished the season with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He only boasted a 72.6 passer rating and had a 57.6 % completion rate. In addition, there are some other flaws in his game as well.
One of the main flaws was holding onto the football. He took 27 sacks across just 10 starts. This included six sacks against the Atlanta Falcons in December, and five sacks against the Green Bay Packers in November. He suffered a concussion after taking 10 total quarterback hits. Other games that illustrated this concerning trend include December 7 against the Washington Commanders and December 21 against the New York Giants. The quarterback took four and three sacks in those games respectively.
Murray Brings Veteran Pedigree To Vikings
Murray also has a bit more veteran pedigree. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in 2020 and 2021. He also was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019, and was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team that same year. The dual-threat quarterback has been around the block when it comes to accolades and experience. That might help him in this competition.
Of course, we must definitively know who the starting quarterback is for a bit. This position has been highly talked about for the past couple of weeks. It’s reasonable to think that there will be some sort of competition regarding the quarterback spot. McCarthy showed flashes last year. Murray is the veteran who has seen what it takes to compete in the NFL landscape. There are both pros and cons for each quarterback. Now, it’s going to be about sorting them out.
Whatever the case may be, Vikings fans will be watching. It is also reasonable to say that divisional rivals may be watching as well. However this quarterback race shapes out, the NFC North will be impacted.
NFL Insider Raises Major Concern About Vikings’ QB Plan