Vikings OTA – In an open OTA session, the Vikings’ quarterback battle looked lopsided early, with Kyler Murray well ahead of incumbent starter J.J. McCarthy. The comparison came down to experience, arm talent, and playmaking potential—while McCarthy’s accuracy and availabil
The Vikings’ quarterback competition didn’t exactly feel like one at the open OTA session that was available to the media. By the end of an afternoon of reps, newcomer Kyler Murray looked well ahead of incumbent starter J.J. McCarthy.
The gap didn’t hinge on one highlight. It was the kind of separation that sticks during an extended look at who’s moving the offense and who’s searching for consistency. Kevin Seifert of ESPN summed it up this way: “Overall. the afternoon was a reminder that McCarthy could continue along the upward trajectory he established at the end of last season — and still fall well short of matching Murray’s experience. arm talent and potential to make big plays in the passing game.”.
That wording lands because the Vikings haven’t just “added competition.” They’ve landed a quarterback with an immediately bankable profile. Murray. the first overall pick in 2019. was cut by the Cardinals after more than $30 million in guaranteed money was tied to his 2026 situation. The Vikings stepped in and were able to bring him aboard for the league minimum of $1.3 million—an outcome driven by both Murray’s fall from the Arizona plan and his own connection to the franchise. He grew up a Vikings fan.
McCarthy has gotten his chance, too. He’s been dealing with a reality that can’t be coached away: he’s missed too much time due to injury. and availability is absolutely a skill. When he has been on the field, there have also been concerns about accuracy. The Vikings’ offense. as it’s been built around him. has leaned on a fastball-heavy arsenal—something that keeps them from leaning into layered passes designed to stretch the intermediate passing game.
The Vikings’ situation makes that scrutiny feel urgent. If McCarthy had done well enough in 2025, the team wouldn’t have been searching again for another viable starter in 2026. Instead, the decision is now simple in practice: the best player will play.
So far in the offseason, Murray is on track to be the better of the two, and that matters because it could steer the Vikings toward a cleaner outcome than the one they experienced in McCarthy’s first year as the unquestioned starter.
Minnesota Vikings Kyler Murray J.J. McCarthy OTA quarterback competition 2026 starter Kevin Seifert