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(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Kyler Murray is the favorite heading into the Minnesota Vikings‘ quarterback battle with J.J. McCarthy. The former No. 1 overall pick showed promise during his time with the Arizona Cardinals, but it never led to long-term success.
Nonetheless, with head coach Kevin O’Connell, Murray could finally have the proper coaching to help him tap into that potential that he displayed at times with Arizona. Still, he does have to win a QB battle.
McCarthy did show promise at the end of the 2025 season, so he’s looking to carry that momentum into this competition against Murray during training camp and preseason.
On March 16, Kay Adams had a positive outlook on Murray, believing he will edge out McCarthy to be the Vikings’ starting QB.
“I do like it more and more and more,” Adams said on “Up & Adams.” “It’s the kind of move that you wanted them to make last year with Aaron Rodgers. They took a bit of a swing here, low risk, high reward.
“I know there’s plenty we all are demanding to see from the talented Kyler Murray, but the ceiling is, they’re going to blow the roof off this thing. We’ve seen flashes of it. We’re not absolving Kyler of responsibility for the lack of team success during his time in Arizona…
“I’m excited for a bit of a fresh start here, a roster that is built to win. Now, with that comes, and with a Coach of the Year offensive mastermind in KOC as a play caller, as a leader in this league, and a terrifying defense, there’s a lot of pressure. Kyler is not going to fly under the radar on this team.”
Could the Vikings Consider Trading J.J. McCarthy?
Should McCarthy lose the competition, questions will arise about whether the Vikings could consider trading him. On March 13, Vikings reporter for The Athletic, Alec Lewis, shared whether McCarthy could be on the trade block later this year.
“[Trading McCarthy] cannot be completely ruled out,“ Lewis wrote in his article. “Two factors matter in the overall calculus: How perturbed are McCarthy and his camp by the Murray signing? And what would other teams offer?
“The Vikings have publicly reiterated their feelings about McCarthy and that they see an advantage in giving him competition. They aren’t completely all in for 2026, evidenced by their measured approach in free agency. But they’re also not punting on a season that must reestablish their standing as formidable foes in the NFC North.”
Minnesota Won’t Stand in J.J. McCarthy’s Way
Moreover, Lewis notes that if McCarthy does lose the competition and wants a fresh start elsewhere, the Vikings wouldn’t stand in his way.
“Trading McCarthy would leave no murkiness around the hierarchy in the quarterback room,“ Lewis added. “The Vikings invested too much in McCarthy, though, to pull the plug for anything other than top-tier compensation.
“McCarthy seeking another destination could introduce a different layer of decision-making. Minnesota likes to respond amicably to players’ desires. But leverage tends to matter in these situations, too, and McCarthy remains under contract for at least two more seasons.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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