Kyler Murray has apparently done more than learn the Minnesota Vikings’ playbook while preparing for his first season with the franchise.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that Murray and wide receiver Jordan Addison have worked out together in Dallas for the past two months. Schultz added that both players reported to Minnesota early to prepare for training camp.
The private work does not settle Murray’s competition with J.J. McCarthy. It does, however, give Murray a potentially valuable head start with one of the receivers who could play a major role in determining which quarterback operates Minnesota’s offense most effectively.
Murray and McCarthy split opportunities with the first- and second-team units during mandatory minicamp, and the Vikings have publicly characterized the starting job as an ongoing competition.
Both players reported to Minnesota early this week to prepare for the start of training camp, with hopes of a big year ahead 🚀
Murray Is Building Chemistry McCarthy Already Had
McCarthy has the advantage of spending two previous offseasons inside Kevin O’Connell’s system. Murray, meanwhile, is learning new terminology, new progressions and the preferences of an unfamiliar receiving group.
That makes two months of work with Addison notable.
Private workouts cannot replicate an NFL practice. There is no live pass rush, full defensive structure or coaching staff evaluating whether a quarterback followed the intended read. Still, those sessions can help a quarterback understand how a receiver accelerates out of breaks, adjusts to off-target throws and communicates when a route does not unfold as drawn.
Those details become especially useful when the practice clock is limited.
Murray acknowledged during minicamp that learning Minnesota’s offense requires him to balance efficiency with the mistakes that naturally accompany a new system.
“This is a different territory, obviously, having to learn a new offense on the fly,” Murray said in June, adding that he was working to understand what O’Connell wanted from each concept.
Addison’s involvement could shorten that adjustment period, at least with one important target.
Jordan Addison Could Become a Factor in Vikings’ Decision
The Vikings’ quarterback decision will not be based on which player organized the most offseason throwing sessions. O’Connell must evaluate command of the offense, accuracy, decision-making, protection adjustments and performance against Minnesota’s defense.
But receiver chemistry can influence several of those categories.
A quarterback who already trusts Addison’s route depth may release the ball earlier. A receiver who understands how Murray wants him to react outside the original structure may turn a disrupted play into a completion. Those differences can become visible once competitive practices begin.
Murray and McCarthy both received first-team work during minicamp. Murray opened one June practice with the starters in seven-on-seven drills, while McCarthy later handled the first-team two-minute period. Each quarterback moved his respective group into field-goal range.
That rotation suggested Minnesota intended to give both players legitimate opportunities rather than install a ceremonial competition around a predetermined starter.
J.J. McCarthy Still Has a Clear Path to the Job
The Addison workouts should not be interpreted as evidence that Murray has moved ahead of McCarthy.
McCarthy went 6-4 as a starter in 2025 and won his final four starts, but he also battled injuries and finished with a 72.6 passer rating, the lowest among 33 qualifying quarterbacks. Minnesota added Murray, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, to create what the team described as its most competitive quarterback room possible.
McCarthy’s familiarity with O’Connell’s system remains meaningful. So does the possibility that the 23-year-old improves after his first season of regular-season action.
Murray’s advantage is experience. His challenge is proving that he can quickly operate a detailed offense while remaining healthy after missing 21 games over the previous three seasons.
Working with Addison for two months will not win Murray the job by itself. It could make his first training-camp practices look less like the beginning of a new partnership — and more like the continuation of one.
Kyler Murray’s Jordan Addison Workouts Add Twist to Vikings QB Battle