The Minnesota Vikings QB battle has taken a new turn with the update that NFL insider Tom Pelissero shared. As of now, all things have been even between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy in the early stages of this competition. However, all of that might be changing soon.
Many would expect head coach Kevin O’Connell to exhaust every practice and preseason game to determine who should be the starting QB. Nonetheless, that might not be the case.
On June 4, Pelissero shared the latest on the Vikings QB competition and noted that a decision could come well before the third preseason game.
“At least through the first two weeks of OTAs, it was split 50-50 between Kyler and J.J.,” Pelissero said during an appearance on KFAN. “So, from the aspect of equal opportunity, rotating who goes first in drills and things like that, they’ve been on the same playing field so far, those two. I would anticipate, as soon as this week, and I know the reporters will be out there at practice today, you may see the reps evolve a little bit.
“I don’t believe that Kevin needs to take this all the way through the third preseason game to determine his starting quarterback. You’re probably going to have a pretty good idea by the end of the spring which direction this is going to go.”
Kyler Murray Might Be Flat Out Better Than J.J. McCarthy
Moreover, Pelissero noted that McCarthy has made strides, and while there’s improvement on his end compared to what troubled him last season, it might simply be the case of one being better than the other.
“J.J.’s made strides,” Pelissero added. “I think everybody who’s watched him throw can see that, mechanically, he looks a little bit different than he has in the past. Kyler comes in as just, you know, he’s a baller, man.
“You’ve known that. You know the off-schedule things that he’s capable of doing. You’ve got to find out whether he can consistently play the position the way the Vikings want him to, in terms of playing on time and being a good decision-maker.”
Could the Vikings Consider Trading J.J. McCarthy?
Should McCarthy lose the competition, as many expect him to, the question then becomes what happens to the third-year QB? Pelissero speculated whether a trade for the former first-rounder might be a possibility.
“Let’s say Kyler wins the job, which, if you had to lean one way or another sitting right here, I would say I would lean toward Kyler as the starting quarterback,” Pelissero said. “Do you have J.J. as the backup?
“Do you potentially look to trade him while there’s still some intrigue within the league and you might, you know, be able to get more for him with two years left on his rookie contract than with one year left? Those are all things that I would think, you know, you’re going to talk through.”
It will be interesting to see how the fallout from O’Connell’s decision plays out. Still, for now, the focus is on ensuring the team has the best QB to start the season, as they are expected to be a surprise playoff contender in 2026.
Vikings QB Competition Takes New Turn After Insider Update