The Vikings will be holding a true quarterback competition this offseason between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.
Minnesota has cycled through several starters since Kevin O’Connell took over as head coach, and the situation finally reached a breaking point last season as quarterback play limited their offense.
From 2024 to 2025, the Vikings offense dropped from 12th to 24th in success rate, 15th to 28th in EPA per play and 13th to 30th in EPA per pass. They ranked sixth in passing yards per game (237.8 yards) in 2024, but that number plummeted to 29th (166.7 yards) in 2025. In the meantime, Sam Darnold led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory after departing the Vikings while helping their passing game improve.
As a result, the Vikings signed Murray this offseason to compete with McCarthy, who did show some improvements over the 2025 season. Star receiver Justin Jefferson is ready for the competition to unfold and seeing which quarterback is the “last man standing” and can spark the offense in 2026.
"Just to see, who's gonna be that last man standing? Who's gonna be that dawg? Who's gonna be that leader to carry us throughout the season?” Jefferson told Good Morning Football. “Because that is definitely a missing piece that we’re looking for and something that is very important to our team, which is the quarterback spot.
After beginning his career playing alongside Kirk Cousins for four years, the Vikings have yet to find the long-term guy at the position. Justin Jefferson has produced with a myriad of quarterbacks, recording 100-yard receiving games with Cousins, Nick Mullens, Sam Darnold, Carson Wentz and J.J. McCarthy, but he would like to have stability at the position.
“That's definitely … I want that, for sure," Jefferson said to Kyle Brandt of having a franchise quarterback. "It's definitely difficult for those types of things to happen. But just like me being with Kirk Cousins for those first four years of my career, just building on that connection, building on that relationship, that's something that is unbroken, that's something you just don't find just anywhere.”
He added, “It definitely will be great to have a quarterback, the same quarterback for these next couple years going down the line, but you already know that's something difficult to do in this league. But for sure, to keep knowing that quarterback for these next couple years and build that relationship and create that spark, that's definitely the plan.”
Related: Vikings Post-Draft Depth Chart: Strengths, Weaknesses, Position Battles
Not only would a franchise quarterback be beneficial in helping the Vikings win, but it could help Jefferson maintain the record-setting production he began his career with. Jefferson is coming off the worst statistical season of his stellar seven-year career. He just crossed the 1,000-yard mark in 2025, recording 84 catches for a career-low 1,048 yards and two touchdowns. Outside of the 2023 season, when he missed seven games due to injury, Jefferson had never recorded fewer than 1,400 receiving yards in a season until 2025. He also had just three 100 yard receiving games last year, another career low.
Jefferson said last month he believes the competition could be beneficial to McCarthy as a talented player such as Murray would require him to step up his game to retain the starting job. He also noted he’s looking forward to the exciting plays and speed Murray brings to the football field. The Vikings will begin OTAs in 10 days, and the quarterback battle should continue through minicamp and training camp.
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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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