The Vikings brought in QB Kyler Murray on a one-year deal this offseason, leaving question marks about the team’s plans for 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero dove into where Minnesota stands at the quarterback position. Pelissero says the Vikings want a true QB competition between Murray and McCarthy, where neither get a leg up based on prior performances or assets used to acquire them.
“They envision it being a true competition: Kyler Murray versus J.J. McCarthy,” Pelissero said. “And both these guys are going to go into this believing they’re gonna win this job. I don’t know frankly how friendly that quarterback room is going to be. It’s going to be a very competitive quarterback room.
“From everything that I’ve understood, it is truly wide open, they’re keeping an open mind as a coaching staff.”
Murray, 28, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cardinals after making the decision to pursue an NFL career, despite being drafted in the first round by the Oakland A’s in 2018.
Murray signed a four-year, $35,158,644 deal that included a $23,589,924 signing bonus. The Cardinals officially exercised his fifth-year option, which is projected to be worth $29.7 million for the 2023 season.
Murray then signed a five-year, $230.5 million extension that includes $160 million guaranteed with Arizona back in 2022. He then signed a one-year deal with the Vikings this past offseason after the Cardinals released him.
In 2025, Murray appeared in five games for the Cardinals and completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown.
McCarthy, 22, led Michigan to a National Championship in 2023 and was named first-team All-Big Ten. The Vikings used the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft on McCarthy.
He signed a four-year, $21,854,796 contract that included a $12,714,396 signing bonus and will carry a $3,973,599 cap figure for the 2024 season. The contract includes a fifth-year option for the team to pick up in 2028.
In 2025, McCarthy appeared in 10 games for the Vikings and completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 181 yards and four touchdowns.
We’ll have more on the Vikings’ plans at quarterback as the news is available.
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