Kyler Murraylaid out an interesting challenge of the Vikings quarterback competition earlier this week—the difficulty having to prepare for the upcoming NFL season while splitting reps.
Whether it’s Murray or J.J. McCarthy who wins the battle, the eventual starter will not have received the same amount of reps that many other quarterbacks around the league had during the OTAs, minicamp and training camp. This is particularly disadvantageous to Murray, who is learning a new offense in Minnesota.
“Now having to split reps, me already being behind, not getting the amount of reps you would typically want a guy to get learning the offense, that’s probably the toughest part,” Murray said on Tuesday. “… Coming to a new system, learning on the fly, trying to play fast, efficient, letting loose while learning it, that’s the toughest part.”
Related:J.J. McCarthy, Kyler Murray Strike Notably Different Tones on Vikings QB Battle
O’Connell shared Thursday that he understands what Murray was trying to express, but that doesn’t mean an answer to who the job will be coming soon. The competition will at least continue into training camp, with no firm date set for when a starter will be named.
“This phase, this time of year, by the rules and how we handle it, it is a foundation to build off of and every rep obviously matter, but this time of year, the beauty of not going full speed is you can get a lot out of watching other guys’s reps as well,” O’Connell said. “I think that’s taken place. I think there’s been great learning.”
“What I think Kyler was speaking about was just being a little uncomfortable,” O’Connell later added. “… A lot of the real growth we’ve had in life comes in those uncomfortable times when you work through it and you find a way out and you’re better off for it. I know that’s Kyler’s mentality toward it.”
While having more reps likely would be ideal for both quarterbacks in terms of their play, particularly with Murray’s inexperience in the system and McCarthy’s general inexperience, the Vikings believe the compeition is what’s best for the team. O’Connell has said he has an idea for around when a starter will be chosen, but little is concrete at this point. “To give an actual date would be not necessarily accurate from a portrayal of how we see it,” O’Connell cryptically put it on Thursday.
Related: Justin Jefferson Has Key Wish for Vikings’ QB Battle With Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy
The Vikings coach did note, “The timeline of that does involve making sure we get our starter ready to go. We want to make sure by the time we play the Green Bay Packers there’s been ample time to have the best possible offense we can have to help our football team and the quarterback’s gonna play a big role in that.”
As for the quarterbacks themselves, O’Connell was complimentary of how Murray and McCarthy both played in practice, as well as backups Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer. He said Murray has made a ton of “impressive throws,” layered the football and improved at “running the show.” McCarthy, meanwhile, has taken strides physically with his fundamentals as well as applying what he’s learned and practiced on the field.
Ultimately, O’Connell is looking to see which quarterback handles adversity, elevates the offense and is the best option for the Vikings when they pick their starter later this summer.
O’Connell said, “It’s probably going to end up being a difficult decision based on where I know those guys are gonna go.”
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EVA GEITHEIM
Eva Geitheim is an NFL writer at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor’s in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or rewatching Gilmore Girls.
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