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Quarterback JJ McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings signing Kyler Murray wasn’t exactly a knockout blow to JJ McCarthy’s career in Minneapolis, but it dropped his prospects to the canvas and the 10-count is already underway.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell refused to designate a starter after the team inked Murray on Thursday, March 12.
“Unless I’m confused in any way, shape or form, I don’t believe we have to name one of those currently,” O’Connell said.
But media members close to the team project that while a decision may not have been officially made, McCarthy is already well behind in the race for the QB1 position and catching up by early September looks highly unlikely.
“Once the Cardinals released Murray, he had several suitors. Choosing Minnesota signaled a degree of devotion from Murray,” Alec Lewis of The Athletic wrote Friday. “In other words, he isn’t joining up with O’Connell, superstar receiver Justin Jefferson and the Vikings to sit and watch.”
Kyler Murray May Have Negotiated With Vikings for QB1 Guarantee
Kyler Murray Arizona Cardinals
GettyQuarterback Kyler Murray, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals
Judd Zulgad of SKOR North posited that Murray and his camp may have leaked a potential link to a backup job with the Los Angeles Rams in 2026 as a successor in wait to reigning MVP Matthew Stafford in a leverage play to guarantee the QB1 job.
“It would make sense if Murray was intrigued by an opportunity with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have an opening for their starting job, but getting it out there that he’s expected to explore several options, including ones where he would be the clear backup, leads me to this conclusion,” Zulgad wrote Wednesday. “Murray wants assurances from the Vikings that he will enter training camp as the starter ahead of J.J. McCarthy and that it won’t be considered a competition.”
If the Vikings and Murray came to some arrangement about the starting job, neither side revealed as much after joining forces Thursday.
Kyler Murray Still Holds Leverage Over Vikings After Signing One-Year Contract
GettyQuarterback Kyler Murray, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals.
That said, it is difficult to imagine Murray would have joined up without something close to a guarantee of starting, especially considering the leverage he held.
First, the Steelers are a reigning division champion with two high-priced, accomplished wide receivers and no established answer at quarterback on the roster. There were other teams in need of a starting QB as well, and Murray had the opportunity further explore his options. He didn’t, and that says something, at least.
Minnesota also needs to consider 2027. Murray is making $36.8 million in 2026 no matter what based on guarantees from his contract with the Arizona Cardinals. The Vikings are only paying $1.3 million of that tab after inking Murray to a veterans league minimum deal.
But Murray isn’t under contract beyond next season and will be looking for a longterm arrangement heading into 2027. If he plays well, the Vikings will presumably want to bring him back and will face specific pressure to do so after allowing Sam Darnold to walk to the Seattle Seahawks and a Super Bowl title one year after leading Minnesota to a 14-3 record and a playoff appearance.
That all means that making Murray happy, now and over the course of the next 12 months, must remain a top priority for Minnesota. Because if he plays well and leaves, not only will O’Connell face the kind of backlash that cost former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah his job, but the Vikings will have only a scorned McCarthy to whom they can turn with one year remaining on his rookie contract.