The Vikings did not solve their quarterback problem this offseason. They just doubled it. Minnesota now has both J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray on the roster, and the preseason has not made the decision any easier. One of them is getting traded before Week 1.
Kyler Murray was the big offseason addition. Minnesota signed him to be the veteran starter after McCarthy’s rookie year was interrupted by injury. The plan made sense on paper. Murray brings starting experience and a proven arm. McCarthy needed another year to develop and stay healthy.
But McCarthy has looked better than expected in camp. Sources around the Vikings suggest the front office is now legitimately debating whether the 2024 first round pick is the better long term option. If McCarthy is truly the better 2026 starter, Kyler Murray becomes an expensive backup and a candidate to be traded.
The math is complicated. Murray’s contract is not a bargain. Trading him means eating some cap and probably getting a mid round pick back at best. Trading McCarthy is easier financially, but the Vikings would be moving on from a first round investment after 18 months, which is the kind of move that costs coaches their jobs.
Here is the honest read. Kevin O’Connell is one of the best offensive minds in the NFL and he has to make this call based on what wins games in December, not what saves face in August. If he truly believes McCarthy is the guy, he has to trade Murray. Sitting a $30 million veteran is not a real option in this league.
McCarthy has upside that Murray does not. He is 23 years old. He has a full offseason plus a real preseason under him now. The physical tools are elite. If he is playing well in practice, he is probably going to play well in games too. Coaches see that.
The market for Murray, if the Vikings move him, would be robust. Teams like the Colts, Raiders, and Titans have real quarterback questions. Any of them would give up a second round pick and take on the contract to add Murray to their room.
Expect a decision by cutdown day. If Minnesota rides with McCarthy, Murray gets traded. If they go with Murray, McCarthy sits and the Vikings hope he does not sulk.
Bet on McCarthy. O’Connell drafted him. This is the moment he shows the front office was right.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
