J.J. McCarthy
Kyler Murray
Carson Wentz
Max Brosmer
Despite having the fewest career starts of the top-3, J.J. McCarthy gets top billing for being the returning starter. One only has to take a look at the past threes seasons to understand why the Vikings might want a quarterback room with three potential starters. Two of the seasons crashed when injuries decimated the position. In 2023, the Vikings started four different quarterbacks (Kirk Cousins, Jaren Hall, Josh Dobbs, and Nick Mullens). Dobbs was acquired in a trade just days before he was forced on the field. In 2025, the Vikings started three different quarterbacks (J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, Max Brosmer). McCarthy and Brosmer took their first NFL snaps last season. Wentz missed the offseason and training camp as he wasn’t signed until late August. Less than a month later, he was making his first start for the Vikings. Two promising seasons were ruined when injuries wiped out the quarterback room. Hall and Brosmer, as late-round and undrafted rookies, weren’t ready for NFL regular season action. Dobbs and Wentz barely knew their teammates when they were forced to take the field. To prevent a repeat of those two disastrous seasons, the Vikings decision-makers decided to take advantage of unique opportunities to boost their quarterback room. With the Arizona Cardinals paying Murray nearly $40 million this season, the Vikings were able to add the talented veteran for a league-minimum $1.3 million. Wentz signed for $3 million. On the third year of his rookie deal, McCarthy is the most expensive quarterback on the roster at about $6 million. It’s a very unique opportunity for a team to have a quarterback room of this quality and potential for a combined salary of about $11 million.
When pundits across the country questioned J.J. McCarthy’s Vikings future with the signing of Kyler Murray and then Carson Wentz, they completely missed the obvious. The Vikings don’t want a repeat of the 2023 and 2025 seasons. They don’t want a season torpedoed by injuries at the game’s most important position. They don’t want to play a game with a quarterback not ready to play. As much as improving the level of play of the starter, the Vikings wanted to improve the talent in the room. They also hope that the competition within the room will raise the level of play of whichever quarterback starts.
A Vikings Quarterback Competition.
Many in the media and fans scoff at the thought that the Vikings have a quarterback competition. Of course, it’s Kyler Murray. He may have signed for an insane bargain price but he’s a significant improvement over the young J.J. McCarthy. Maybe. Just because many doubt there’s a competition, it doesn’t mean there isn’t one. If McCarthy somehow outplays Murray, he should start. A coach that starts a player that hasn’t earned the job, simply because the media and fans says that he has on signing, should not be coaching. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said that there’s a quarterback competition. Despite his saying that, every Vikings player and coach is still asked “is there a quarterback competition?” It’s one of those mind-numbing situations in which the damn question is asked despite the damn fact that it’s already been answered. Until O’Connell announces the starter, there’s a quarterback competition. Accept it. Believe it or not, it’s the situation no matter how many times the damn question is asked.
In today’s NFL, drama always seems to be more important than the play on the field. My fear with this Vikings quarterback competition is that interactions between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will get more attention than their respective play. The first offseason practice open to the media brought just that. Both quarterbacks played well on the field. That was put aside by many in the media and fans to the respective post-practice comments of Murray and McCarthy. Murray gave the typical “company” responses to questions. McCarthy answered them honestly and was criticized mercilessly for it. On-the-field, and off-, he can never do anything right in the opinions minds of so many. I’ve never seen anything like the coverage and criticism of McCarthy. It’s as if he’s somehow personally wronged his critics. Give the kid a break. He’s just trying to make a career in football. Let him compete for the Vikings quarterback job. Perhaps Murray wins it. Based simply on his experience and undeniable talent, he’s certainly the favorite. Just let the process play out. No matter who is named the starter, the Vikings will be better for the competition and the talent in the quarterback room.
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