The quarterback battle in Minnesota has reportedly come to a swift conclusion, as the Vikings have named Kyler Murray their new starter over former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, per ESPN. This battle was expected to last into the preseason, but Kevin O'Connell has apparently called the contest four days before the Vikings are scheduled to take the field against the New York Giants.
Murray was viewed as the favorite to win this job over McCarthy, who became the only first-round pick since 1970 to finish last in the NFL in completion percentage and TD-INT ratio in his first season. While Minnesota did rally to finish with a 9-8 record last year, the Vikings still missed the playoffs thanks to an underperforming offense.
Murray was released by the Arizona Cardinals this offseason following seven years with the franchise. The former No. 1 overall pick won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019, made two Pro Bowls, and took Arizona to the postseason once, but his play dipped in recent years. Murray has missed 30 out of a possible 68 games over the last five seasons, and his last winning season came back in 2021. In all, Murray went 38-48-1 during his time with the Cardinals.
Still, it's possible Murray is rejuvenated by this change of scenery. In Minnesota, he finds multiple upgrades he did not have in Arizona. For example, Murray has a star wideout for the first time since DeAndre Hopkins. Justin Jefferson is one of the best pass-catchers in the game, and just became the third player to ever begin a career with six straight seasons of 1,000 yards receiving. He's not the only weapon either, as Minnesota has a solid supporting cast which includes Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Jauan Jennings.
Murray also has the backing of a Brian Flores unit that finished No. 3 in total defense last season (282.6 yards allowed per game) and No. 7 in scoring defense (19.6 points allowed per game). If Murray can be an efficient distributor of the football, this Vikings team can return to the postseason.
This is a developing story
