When the Minnesota Vikings signed former Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray earlier this offseason, many believed he had already passed J.J. McCarthy on the depth chart for the team’s starting job.
However, it seems that Murray may not be Minnesota’s QB1 that easily.
During an appearance on the “Rich Eisen Show” on Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero revealed that the Vikings are approaching training camp as if both Murray and McCarthy are dead even.
“I don’t know how friendly that quarterback room is going to be,” Pelissero stated. “It is going to be a very competitive quarterback room. … But Kyler comes in and hasn’t played in this offense. J.J. has got two years in it.
“… It’s going to be interesting to watch these guys duke it out because you’ve got J.J., who’s got at least a foundation in the offense, you’ve got Kyler, who’s shown ability — he’s been to Pro Bowls, he’s been to the playoffs — and he’s only 28 years old. To me, this is going to be the most fascinating quarterback competition in the NFL. And from everything that I have understood, it is truly wide open.”
McCarthy had a tumultuous first season as the Vikings’ starter.
Though Minnesota went 6-4 in games he started, McCarthy threw for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 72.6 passer rating. The offense struggled to move the chains, and McCarthy’s decision making was suspect at best.
Murray, on the other hand, is looking for a fresh start after things soured in Arizona.
The former No. 1 overall pick started his career with a bang. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl in each of the following two seasons. But since then, Murray has battled injuries and inconsistency.
Whoever the starting QB is next season, they’ll have one heck of a supporting cast. The Vikings signed former San Francisco 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings on Thursday. He’ll join Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison as one of the top WR trios in the league in addition to Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson.
Read the full article here
