As if J.J. McCarthy needed any more bad news as he attempts to win the Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback job heading into 2026, Kyler Murray piled on the third-year signal-caller.
A recent video emerged of Murray working out with Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison, and apparently, the two new teammates have been working out together for the last two months in Dallas.
The fact that Addison is individually working out with Murray is a clear indicator that he feels Murray will end up under center for Minnesota in Week 1, and at this point, it seems like an inevitability.
McCarthy was originally selected by the Vikings with the 10th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. They actually traded up one spot to nab him.
The University of Michigan product then missed his entire rookie campaign due to a knee injury, and last year, a variety of maladies limited him to just 10 games.
It would have been one thing if McCarthy played well during his time on the field in 2025, but he didn’t, throwing for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing just 57.6 percent of his passes. He did rush for 181 yards and four scores, but it’s clear he needs ample work as a passer.
To be fair, it’s not like Murray lit it up last season, either. The former No. 1 overall pick appeared in just five contests with the Arizona Cardinals before a foot injury sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign … and the Cardinals did not appear in any rush to bring him back.
Arizona then released him after the season.
That being said, Murray at least has a track record of being serviceable.
The 28-year-old — who entered the league in 2019 — made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances in 2020 and 2021, leading the Cardinals to a playoff berth in the latter season.
Injuries have limited Murray ever since, though. He has played in a grand total of 41 games over the last four seasons, with a torn ACL he suffered during the back half of 2023 representing his most significant issue.
Two years ago, though, Murray started all 17 games and threw for 3,851 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 picks while completing 68.8 percent of his passes. He added 572 yards and five scores on the ground.
Minnesota is loaded with offensive talent, with Justin Jefferson and Addison comprising one of the better wide receiver tandems in football.
Weapons aren’t the issue for the Vikings; it’s the quarterback situation, and it’s abundantly clear that Murray holds a major edge over McCarthy in that regard.
