The NFL currently has two significant quarterback competitions, in Minnesota and Cleveland. One of them has significantly higher stakes, for various reasons.
Beyond the fact that the Vikings were consistently competent quarterback play away from making it to the playoffs in 2025, the guy who misses the chance to provide the Vikings with what they need to get to the playoffs and perhaps win their first postseason game since 2019 will be very disappointed. And possibly upset.
That will make things tricky for coach Kevin O’Connell.
For now, not much is known. The competition will continue into training camp. The sooner it’s resolved, the sooner the starter will be ready to go when the Packers come to town in Week 1.
There’s another key fact that O’Connell has confirmed. He told PFT Live in late March that he plans to set the depth chart and stick with it. If true (and O’Connell does seem to be the kind who practices the slinging of BS), that makes the decision he makes even more consequential — especially for the guy who doesn’t win the QB1 slot.
When Murray signed with the Vikings for a mere $1.3 million in March (the Cardinals owe him another $35.8 million this year), the thinking was that he had the inside track. Sure, the past few seasons haven’t been great. But the Cardinals had a role in that. Beyond the fact that they haven’t had enough talent around him, they threw a wrench into the relationship by trying to jam an ill-advised homework clause into the long-term deal he signed after his first three seasons, which ended with the offensive rookie of the year award in 2019 and Pro Bowl berths in 2020 and 2021.
If McCarthy had been getting it done to the team’s satisfaction, there would have been no need to pursue Murray. They would have stuck with Carson Wentz (who did fairly well last year despite not showing up until late August) or someone else who would embrace the understudy role. Murray didn’t pick Minnesota to stand on the sidelines.
All signs were pointing to Murray inevitably getting the job, until this week. The public accounts of the team’s mandatory minicamp created the impression that McCarthy is making strides and Murray is struggling. Murray’s comments about his effort to learn the offense, which he delivered in a matter-of-fact way that didn’t smack of excuse-making, pointed to the basic reality that, on the two prior occasions he was learning a new offense, he wasn’t sharing reps.
That could (or perhaps should) light a fire under Murray to view the next six weeks not as a break or a vacation but as a challenge. And it will become obvious to the coaching staff if Murray is taking full advantage of the extra time to get himself ready to clearly and conclusively win the job once training camp opens.
That’s far more effective than the stick of a homework clause. The Vikings have essentially dangled a carrot for Murray. Whether he continues the effort to chase it down during the downtime will reveal plenty.
So if that happens and Murray wins the job, how will McCarthy react? Some think he’ll want to be traded. Some think the Vikings will want to trade him, especially if there’s a concern he’ll be bitter and salty and complaining to teammates that he deserves to play.
One of the four quarterbacks will be gone by Week 1, most likely. Trading McCarthy would allow the Vikings to go with Murray as the starter, Wentz as the backup, and Max Brosmer as the No. 3. (Some have also pointed to the invitation of Cooper Rush to the rookie minicamp as a sign that he could be the fourth option, on the practice squad.)
Yes, McCarthy has said he wants to be in Minnesota. What a guy says during the competition could be very different from what he’ll say after he loses it. Especially if he feels like he didn’t get a fair shake.
It becomes a problem if other players share his viewpoint. If McCarthy is performing better in training camp practices but Murray gets the job, the locker room could murmur and rumble and ultimately revolt. Removing McCarthy from the equation could be in the best interests of getting everyone behind Murray.
That’s where Murray’s comments about sharing reps could become very useful to O’Connell. The more work Murray gets in the offense (continuing into the regular season), the better he’ll be. If O’Connell can get key players (like receiver Justin Jefferson) on board with that, the problem should be avoided.
If McCarthy wins the job, what will Murray do? His agent wasn’t bashful about Murray’s desire for a new contract in early 2022, posting a single-spaced manifesto on social media regarding Murray’s unwillingness to play on the fourth year of his rookie contract. If Murray isn’t happy with O’Connell’s decision, will he embrace a back seat and prepare for McCarthy to be injured (again) or ineffective (again), or will Murray want out?
Much of that depends on what the Vikings told Murray to entice him to sign for $1.3 million. Last year, the Vikings’ inability to make Daniel Jones think he had a real chance to supplant McCarthy made Jones choose the Colts, who made him think he had a real chance to supplant Anthony Richardson. If the Vikings sent a message to Murray that the job is his to lose and he believes he hasn’t lost it (in part because he had to split reps), Murray may be upset.
In theory, Murray provides the Vikings with a no-lose proposition. Murray’s presence will either get McCarthy to step up, or it will cause him to step off. The flip side is that someone will lose out on starting, and his disappointment will need to be managed.
That’s why O’Connell will need to have an effective plan for how to deal with the guy who comes in second. He seems to be the type who does. The only question is whether it will work.
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