Training camp is underway and the “reports” and speculation is off to the races. There will be no stopping the incessant commentary on the QB situation because, well, it does create interest (i.e., clicks). It is a tough situation for O’Connell, McCarthy, and Murray to be in really. KOC is trying to toe a fine line IMO.
I believe he wants to continue to develop JJ and does not want to hurt his confidence in any way. At the same time he is tasked to win games and his salary dictates that that is the number
1 goal. Resurrecting Kyler Murray is a new challenge and getting him up to speed takes time. I suspect that neither QB really likes this setup but what can you do. They both are handling it very well IMO.
This situation is going to create daily soap opera stories for us to regale.
I wish I could give an educated opinion on whether or not this is good for the team or for the eventual starting QB. I do respect KOC for doing it his way though. If you are going to go out then you should go out doing it the way you want. But he really did not have much choice due to JJ not being able to stay healthy. If he could have played every game last year then I doubt they would have signed Murray. It sucks but it is as it should be (I do not like to say it is what it is).
How would you handle the QB situation?
Based on who the Vikings brought in for a workout, EDGE rusher Victor Dimukeke is interesting. Could it be a sign that the team is looking for cheaper options to add at EDGE rusher?
2026 Vikings Training Camp Full Schedule
https://www.vikings.com/schedule/vikings-events/training-camp/schedule
DATE : TIME : PRACTICE
Saturday, Aug. 1 : Noon- 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 8 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 9 : 5 – 11 p.m. : 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 11 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 12 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 13 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 17 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 19 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m. : Joint Practice with Baltimore Ravens
Thursday, Aug. 20 : Noon – 5 p.m. : 2:30 p.m. : Joint Practice with Baltimore Ravens
The Minnesota Vikings 2026 preseason schedule features three matchups
Week 1: Saturday, August 15 at New York Giants (1:00 PM ET)
Week 2: Saturday, August 22 vs. Baltimore Ravens (12:00 PM ET)
Week 3: Friday, August 28 at Denver Broncos (Time TBD)
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Vikings 2026 Camp Opens with Alignment, Addition, Extension & QB Plan
https://www.vikings.com/news/2026-training-camp-alignment-quarterback-plan
The Vikings head coach relishes training camp, which kicks off for Minnesota this week, and the opportunity it provides to continue developing the roster ahead of the 2026 season.
New Vikings General Manager Nolan Teasley is equally optimistic about camp getting underway, as he noted Tuesday afternoon during a joint press conference with O’Connell.
Teasley, whom Minnesota hired June 1, emphasized how in-step he and O’Connell have been over the past two months.
“Working together with this guy every day,” Teasley said, gesturing at O’Connell, “it’s become clear we’re aligned in our vision — but in terms of where we are currently and as we embark on the 2026 season, but also where we’re headed in the future and as we build this thing out.”
O’Connell told Twin Cities media members he’s “really enjoyed” working alongside Teasley and his staff.
“It’s been a really cool summer getting to build these relationships and see so many of the things that made us all so excited about bringing Nolan here,” O’Connell said. “It’s just awesome when it starts coming to life on a daily basis. And it’s not only Nolan, but the staff that he’s assembled has been just as good of a staff as I’ve been around, quite honestly.”
O’Connell and Teasley are pleased with Minnesota’s offseason, both in player acquisitions and work accomplished during OTAs and minicamps, and now it’s time for the next level.
“I know I speak on behalf of our players when I say they’re excited about what the potential of our team can be,” O’Connell said. “That’s what this time of year is for all 32 teams. There’s a wonderful opportunity out in front of all of us, and we’ve got to go to work and maximize it every single day.”
Kevin O’Connell Reveals How Vikings Will Split Reps Between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/kevin-oconnell-reveals-how-vikings-will-split-reps-between-kyler-murray-j-j-mccarthy
The starting quarterback audition that will shape this season for the Minnesota Vikings and perhaps define multiple careers is clearly the featured attraction during training camp.
For as consequential as this competition will be, Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy and their teammates have no interest in intensifying the spotlight or indulging in feelings about the process. The players themselves are trying to keep things as cool as they can.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell was remarkably transparent in his news conference this week about the plan for dividing up drills in practice between the two. Murray went first with the first team Wednesday, but the repetitions were equally split.
“It’s going to be more by certain periods,” O’Connell said. “Maybe a guy’s gotten a little bit more third down work, so then we’ll make sure we try to even it out, but I will say this, and I told the quarterbacks: ‘We don’t need to make this 50-50.’ It’s going to be that way to start when we’re on a time crunch, but when we get into some longer practices and some move-the-ball periods, there’s some periods where the amount of plays is unknown sometimes as you really start to get into what real football is.”
Murray, of course, was the most seismic change after McCarthy’s rocky debut. As the first overall pick in the 2019 draft with 87 starts and more than 20,000 passing yards in his career, Murray is the clear favorite to win this competition. But O’Connell has committed to opening it up, and McCarthy has said he believes him.
“My job’s to make it right for either of them, so that’s kind of all I can focus on,” right tackle Brian O’Neill said. “It’s just like any other guy and any other position battle. That’s really what it is from my perspective.”
Murray mentioned earlier the challenge of mastering a new offense without taking all of the turns with the first team, but he said Wednesday he feels much better about the playbook after going through spring practices and continuing to immerse himself in it over the last six weeks.
McCarthy, too, said he has recovered from the time lost and the rhythm interrupted by his late-season injuries.
“I felt like I was hitting that upward trajectory, and I’m certain it’s still been going up since then,” McCarthy said.
Vikings camp opens with the QBs and their teammates playing it cool over the spotlighted competition
https://apnews.com/article/vikings-training-camp-quarterbacks-54c7284ea4833f7fef4cb945a004590e
For as consequential as this competition will be, Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy and their teammates have no interest in intensifying the spotlight or indulging in feelings about the process. The players themselves are trying to keep things as cool as they can.
“I’m not really too focused on the long-term vision of it,” Murray said Wednesday before the team’s first formal practice of camp. “I’m really just focused on process, and that’s day to day, trying to put my best foot forward, and proving to the guys and the coaches what I’m capable of.”
McCarthy brings a decidedly different resume, style and personality to this derby, but his public stance on his approach to trying to keep the same job he had last year sure sounded similar to Murray’s.
“It’s just refining every little detail, leaving no stone unturned and just trying to get better in every aspect,” said McCarthy, whose injuries have limited him to 10 starts in two seasons since he was drafted with the 10th overall pick in 2024. “That’s a constant battle with yourself every single day until you hang ’em up.”
Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy Gets Candid About QB Competition
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/vikings-j-j-mccarthy-gets-candid-about-qb-competition/
McCarthy was asked how competition like this can bring the best out of him, given the circumstances.
“Studying the best and learning from the best, they’re always competing with themselves every day. There’s no ceiling they’re putting on themselves. It’s always a constant ‘look at myself in the mirror’ at the end of each day and ‘did I get better?’
Just focus on what you can control, how you can improve, and when you’re done with it, looking back and seeing where you’re at.”
Certainly a mature answer from the young quarterback. McCarthy was then asked about conversations with Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell have been like the past couple of days.
“Conversations were great. Just all about, you know, doing my job and doing it to the best of my ability. Taking completions, taking what the defense has given me, making smart decisions, and at the end of the day, just doing my job. Very simple.”
Many have theorized that Kyler Murray was brought in to be the starter immediately. Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings have continued to claim that it’s a fair competition. McCarthy was asked for verification.
“100%. Yeah.”
…
Vikings QB Kyler Murray was asked about his “perception” of Justin Jefferson and the standard he’s set. This came during the same media session where J.J. McCarthy spoke.
“I think it’s greatness. You know, not only does he believe he’s the best receiver in the league, he wants to be. From what I’ve seen out here, he’s proved it every single day. Those are the guys you want to be around. You know, it’s few and far between having guys like that. But when you get around one, you see why, you know. So, again, I’m just grateful I get to throw the ball [to him].”
“They’re in Trouble”: Analyst Shares True Feelings After Vikings HC Announces QB Reps Plan for J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/trouble-analyst-shares-true-feelings-012452302.html
Reacting to the situation, Chris “Mad Dod” Russo said on Wednesday on “ESPN NFL”:
“I can understand why he’s doing it. You know, he wants to give Murray a chance, but they’re in trouble at this position. I didn’t like McCarthy anyway; I drafted him out of Michigan. He hadn’t thrown a lot of balls at Michigan. I thought that was a little risky. He rescued Darnold, let him go, and then Darnold won a Super Bowl. And now, by bringing Murray in, he’s telling you they’re not so sure about McCarthy, because if they loved McCarthy, why bring in Murray, who’s been a starting quarterback and a playoff quarterback in the past? Now I don’t like Murray. Arizona gave up on him. They went to Brissett. To me, that’s a bad sign.”
..
J.J. McCarthy Shares Game Plan for the 2026 Season
J.J. McCarthy has had a tough luck in his NFL journey so far. He missed his entire rookie season after getting injured in a preseason game, and then continued to struggle with injuries in the 2025 season.
During a conversation with the reporters on Wednesday, McCarthy opened up about his mindset while also reflecting on what went wrong last season.
What we saw from Vikings QBs Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy in first practice of camp
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7479022/2026/07/30/vikings-kyler-murray-jj-mccarthy-training-camp/
“Excited to be here,” Kyler Murray told reporters Wednesday afternoon. “Excited to get started.”
J.J. McCarthy later added: “Best day of the year.”
…
What position does newly signed veteran defensive back Jamal Adams expect to play in Flores’ system?
“I can play linebacker, safety, corner, nose tackle, D-end, kicker, it don’t even matter,” the three-time All-Pro said Wednesday. “Whatever you want me to play, I’ll play. You want me to walk the dog, I’ll walk the dog.”
Note: Adams sounds great but I wonder if he could clean the cat box?
Vikings Training Camp Observations: 1st-Round Pick Caleb Banks Joins Defensive Newcomers in Mix
https://www.vikings.com/news/2026-training-camp-observations-caleb-banks
Returnee J.J. McCarthy and free-agent addition Kyler Murray picked up where they left off this spring. Both met with local reporters before the session, and so did right tackle Brian O’Neill after he re-upped his contract with the team Tuesday. The only thing missing was a sea of fans. Well … and “The Hitman.”
There’s no shortage of confidence in the secondary sans Harrison Smith, who hasn’t decided on if he will return for his 15th season or head for the sunset, but there’s certainly a surplus of expertise that is gone.
“I think, collectively, there’s a sense of trying to bring what he brought to the table from a communication [and] leadership standpoint with him being absent, or not being absent, but not being here; I still haven’t gotten over it,” Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores told media before practice.
“Obviously, he brought a lot to our team,” he continued with a smile. “We love him dearly. Hope he hears that and knows what I mean by that. But, yeah, I think his impact on the other guys as far as leadership, communication, ownership of the defense, I think he especially took to that ownership and the ability to change [the defensive call] based on what they see” as a group.
Flores stated his belief that there’s at least a few other players who learned from Smith in that regard.
…
No 1. I Spy: Agent Caleb Banks
You can ignore our ridiculous play on words (we blame the heat), but not the Vikings first-round pick.
A full participant in practice Wednesday, the 18th overall pick Banks turned heads without making any tackles for loss or sacks. His size alone was something to behold. Calves. Thighs. Torso. Arms. You name it, Banks, who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, looked like he was dressed in full pads in his debut.
Banks spent the offseason program finishing his rehab for a foot injury and shared afterward that his first NFL practice was fun. He called it “different” than anything he’s experienced before, and described Defensive Running Game Coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who led defensive line drills, as “a very serious guy.”
Banks added that Nielsen is someone “that I feel like every defensive tackle would want in their corner.”
No 2. Defensive newcomers show up
The newest veteran on the Vikings, Jamal Adams, acclimated quickly to his change of scenery and new uniform No. – 54. The 30-year-old former safety settled in with the inside linebackers during individual drills and got plenty of work in the second level with the second defense in 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 periods.
Adams showed feel for space and sinking into zones. On one snap, he provided tight underneath coverage in tandem with a deep safety on a McCarthy pass that was denied over the middle of the field. Later, he nearly disrupted a seam shot to TE Gavin Bartholomew, but McCarthy had just the right touch.
Another veteran preparing for his first Vikings season, James Pierre, forced the only turnover of the day. The 29-year-old cornerback who signed in free agency high-pointed a pass that Murray probably wanted back (it appeared to be affected at the line of scrimmage by Redmond). Pierre plucked it with ease, but he stayed on the ground for a moment, likely due to a cramp, and eventually jogged off.
Earlier in the session, Pierre tapped into his length and closed his cushion with purpose on an in-breaker intended for Justin Jefferson and broke it up. He also was in ideal position on a laser beam over the middle to Addison, but the receiver wrestled the rock away and made a strong catch with his fingertips.
No 3. Dazzling backfield
Of course, it’s difficult to gauge knockback and the success of a run play in the absence of shoulder pads.
But it was simple to spot the sauce in Jordan Mason’s step on a short reception via Murray in the left flat. Mason, better known for his bruising than his finesse, evaded safety Joshua Metellus, one of the team’s soundest tacklers, with a well-timed change of direction. A good-natured and rip-roaring scene followed.
In addition to Mason’s exciting catch-and-run, 31-year-old Aaron Jones, Sr., epitomized “all-out effort” by finishing every one of his touches with a burst into the end zone. On one rep, Jones nabbed a short pass to the right side and was instantly tagged by two defenders, but he still legged out almost 30 extra yards.
Vikings QBs J.J. McCarthy & Kyler Murray Aim to Maximize Every Camp Rep
https://www.vikings.com/news/jj-mccarthy-kyler-murray-2026-training-camp-rep
“Once I got healthier after that Seattle week, in the Washington and Dallas [games], I felt like I was hitting that upward trajectory,” McCarthy said. “And I’m certain it’s still been going up since then. And just being able to keep the routine the way it is, adjust a little bit here or there, but just keep getting those reps and keeping that familiarity with this offense and performing at the highest level possible.”
He described things as “clicking” from the moment of relaying the play call to delivering the football, synching his footwork with the rhythm and timing of the plays.
“Just being able to have that chemistry and the organic chemistry with all the receivers and the relationships that I have, it’s really awesome to really feel a part of this team and just step out here every day with those guys and keep getting better,” McCarthy said.
…
Murray joined the Vikings during free agency after spending seven seasons as Arizona’s starter. The 2019 No. 1 overall pick won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and went to Pro Bowls after the 2020 and 2021 seasons but endured multiple changes during his time with the Cardinals.
He described wanting to lead by example and establish that footing play by play.
“As I get to prove myself by the plays that I make, being around the guys, it’s easier for me to continue to open up, be more vocal,” Murray said when asked about his leadership. “And I think all that naturally comes, especially when we get out here, play games, practice, and just being around the guys more, that organically happens.
Murray has spent time getting caught up in the system, going over scripts and the playbook “every day for the last six weeks.”
“I feel great. It really helped me going through OTAs for sure,” Murray said. “Having done it once now, obviously this time it’s about to be real, but I truly believe that going through OTAs has prepared me for what’s to come.
“I think it’s a reps thing — continue to do it over and over again, say it over and over again,” he added. “And the more you do it, the more you say it, the more it comes natural, the more it comes easier. And I think that’s really the process for me. I think once all that settles down, for me, it’s just playing football.”
Will Vikings pick big and strong or experienced playmaker? Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy offer different flavors
https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/will-vikings-pick-big-and-strong-or-experienced-playmaker-kyler-murray-jj-mccarthy-offer-different-flavors-035016178.html
Murray had started team work with a smooth initial 11-on-11 series. But 7-on-7 work had proved less rhythmic, and Murray overthrew Jefferson down the left sideline.
This was the type of throw training camp is for — to iron out expectations between quarterback and receiver, ensuring each player enters Week 1 with an aligned understanding of a play’s rhythm. So O’Connell gathered the duo to discuss just that.
“It was more of a timing play and a timing throw that it didn’t really work as timely as we wanted it to,” Jefferson told Yahoo Sports after practice Wednesday. “So really just talking with each other and having that communication is really, really key.
“Being on the same page is the main factor.”
Murray would hit Jefferson deep down the right sideline before the 90-minute practice ended.
Murray received initial first-team snaps during 11-on-11 drills, but each quarterback received first- and second-team snaps. McCarthy led off an earlier quarterback footwork drill before Murray received initial snaps when throwing routes on air.
…
McCarthy arrived in 2024 as the 10th overall selection of the NFL Draft with a college championship to his name and a strong arm. A torn meniscus sidelined him for the 2024 season, and one teammate said his throws last year were sometimes late. The Vikings must decide: Were McCarthy’s inconsistent mechanics last year more about his health and inexperience or a longer-lingering barrier to precision? Can McCarthy grow into that touch and layered passing that the college level requires less with its spacing?
“You see the arm strength,” quarterbacks coach Josh McCown told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday. “He can drive the ball, but it’s really taking that next step as a passer and really be able to develop all the clubs in his bag, so to speak. And we felt like he made strides this spring and you should want to continue to see those manifest now obviously.”
…
“Any chance I could get going over scripts, going over the playbook every day,” Murray said Wednesday. “Every day for the last six weeks. Then obviously workouts and stuff going out there and implementing what we’ve done. Obviously get more familiar with the footwork and verbiage and stuff.”
McCarthy’s assessment of his improvement since fracturing his hand last season: “I’m certain I’ve grown, mentally and physically, just dramatically.”
‘We want an elevator’: As Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy split first-team reps, what will determine Vikings QB battle?
https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/we-want-an-elevator-as-kyler-murray-and-jj-mccarthy-split-first-team-reps-what-will-determine-vikings-qb-battle-182133295.html
Head coach Kevin O’Connell met with each of his quarterbacks as they reported to camp this week to explain his vision and plan for managing snaps and determining who will start Week 1. O’Connell has an ideal timeline in mind for making a decision, he said Tuesday, though he declined to share it publicly.
“I told the quarterbacks: ‘We don’t need to make this 50-50,'” O’Connell said in an introductory news conference from team headquarters. “Over the sequence of many days, or as many days as we hope to have before we make a decision, I know we’ll be thorough. I know both guys will feel like they’ve gotten an opportunity to compete.”
…
And first-team work will not be the only important portion of the analysis. Second-team work with a less-advanced cast will help coaches determine how the quarterbacks perform with more challenges.
“That gives different layers to the evaluation as well,” O’Connell said. “We want an elevator at the quarterback position. And in many ways, doing that in this system is kind of a do-your-job mentality, which is running the show, showing completions and just showing the ability to execute our offense with comfort.
“We want to be comprehensive with this. But at the same time, I think it’s important when we feel good about a decision as a group … we give our team and our players clarity of exactly the direction we’re going.”
…
General manager Nolan Teasley, whom the Vikings hired June 1 after he spent 13 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, saw Murray often during their seven overlapping years in the NFC West.
“It’s not just about what he can do with his arm,” Teasley said. “We all know that he can operate on schedule, and I was excited about the potential of seeing him in this system and then how we’re going to complement it with the run game. But rarely do things go as planned in the National Football League. And so it’s the extension of the play and what he can do in that arena, and he can create as well.”
…
McCarthy arrived this spring with deeper experience in O’Connell’s offense than Murray, who described the offense as quarterback-friendly while acknowledging it stretched his comfort zone.
“Our offense is maybe different than what he’s been accustomed to,” O’Connell said. “We also want to make sure we’re running an offense that’s comfortable and something where a quarterback has a lot of confidence that they can go be the best versions of themselves in this offense.”
O’Connell said the Vikings will plan to follow their timeline for an expected resolution to the battle, while leaving room to shift that timeline if the competition warrants. How well does each quarterback grasp a command of the offense? How accurately does he throw, how well does he manage protections at the line of scrimmage, and how smoothly does he absorb the chaos that is often Flores’ defense? Production and consistency will factor into the Vikings’ analysis.
“The term ‘iron sharpens iron’ gets thrown around a lot,” O’Connell said, “but when you’re going up against Flo[res] every day, you better be iron.”
O’Connell emphasized his desire to promote transparency through the quarterback battle, including naming the starter as soon as the Vikings decide. After reporting to five training camps as a player and coaching for five different teams across 12 seasons, O’Connell said he understands the urgency to settle on a starter.
“We want to make sure that there is a comprehensive decision made,” O’Connell said. But “I’m well aware, having gone through training camps before as a player and a coach at that position, the time it takes to truly go into Week 1 comfortable and ready to get off to a really good start.”
Kyler Murray Drops Major Vikings Offense Update Amid QB Battle
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kyler-murray-drops-major-vikings-073028962.html
“I think it’s a reps thing,” Murray added. “Continue to do it over and over again. Say it over and over again. The more you do it, the more it comes naturally, the more it becomes easier. I think that’s really the process for me. Once all that settles down for me, it’s just playing football.”
…
Amid the competition starting with training camp and the preseason, former Vikings wideout Adam Thielen shared his thoughts on the competition during a July 27 appearance on “NFL Live.”
“I think it’s Kyler Murray’s job right now,” Thielen said. “But if J.J. McCarthy comes in and shows what he wasn’t doing well last year, he could win that job. First of all, when you see J.J. in person and you’re around him, you want to be around him.
“He’s a great leader [and] fun to be around. He’s just a guy that everyone loves. At the end of the day, they drafted him in the first round, and they want him to have success. So if he comes in and shows it, he could win that job. But right now, it’s Kyler’s job.”
Brian Flores Addresses the Unique Plan for Newest Viking Jamal Adams
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/brian-flores-plan-for-jamal-adams/
“Excited about the acquisition,” said Flores. “A lot of competition at backer, safety. Obviously he’s played a lot of different roles, so what’s it gonna be? We’ll see what that looks like.”
Flores went on to compare Adams to safety Joshua Metellus, who has played close to every position on the field for the Vikings.
“I tell guys all the time, ‘Your role with this group is whatever you make it’. The more you can do and be productive with–I think Metellus is a good example of that. He’s got a lot of catching up to do as far as playbook and getting comfortable. But 36 hours in, it’s been good,” Flores said about Adams.
Training camp recap: Day 1
https://www.purpleinsider.football/p/training-camp-recap-day-1
The Vikings Brought 9 Players to Town for a Workout
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/the-vikings-players-workout
Vikings suspend DBs coach Gerald Alexander for three weeks following drunken driving charge
https://www.nfl.com/news/vikings-suspend-dbs-coach-gerald-alexander-drunken-driving-charge
Will Kyler Murray Playing Out Of Shotgun Limit the Vikings Offense?
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/will-kyler-murray-playing-out-of-shotgun-limit-the-vikings-offense/
One Vikings Receiver Stole the Show at Wednesday’s Practice
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/one-vikings-receiver-stole-show-043322540.html
Vikings’ Christian Darrisaw is healthy heading into training camp
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vikings-christian-darrisaw-healthy-heading-185527575.html
Vikings Predicted to Cut Ties With Kevin O’Connell, Kyler Murray
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vikings-predicted-cut-ties-kevin-230212051.html
Bill Simmons of The Ringer appeared on “The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny” on Monday, July 27 and posited that the upcoming season could be it for O’Connell in Minnesota if the Murray experiment does not work out and/or the coach can’t get McCarthy on track.
“Honestly [Kevin O’Connell], is this it for him in Minnesota?” Simmons said.
“I saw him on, I don’t know if it was [Rich] Eisen or something, or Dan Patrick, where he was like, ‘Well, every time I’ve had average quarterback play, we’ve won 10 games,'” Kimes responded. “And it felt, like, pretty defensive.”
Simmons continued, putting some of the blame for the Darnold and McCarthy gaffes on O’Connell.
Kimes noted that O’Connell has eluded responsibility for those decisions, at least to some degree, over the last several months in the wake of the team’s choice to fire Adofo-Mensah.
“First of all, Sam Darnold was better than average and then proved it in Seattle the next year, and they completely screwed that up,” Simmons said. “Second, [O’Connell] touted JJ McCarthy to us all last year, and talked about his Zoom calls he did with JJ every day and all this stuff, and then JJ couldn’t have been worse.”
Simmons went on to predict a strong start for Murray prior to an epic flame out.
“Kyler will look good for three weeks. [O’Connell] will scheme some different things for him to run around and do stuff. And then the [other] teams will figure them out, and [the Vikings] will go 1-8 to finish the season, and we won’t hear from them again,” Simmons continued. “I love the Minnesota fans, I feel bad, but that team is not gonna be good.”
Vikings Get Intriguing Message Involving Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vikings-intriguing-message-involving-buccaneers-081923185.html
On July 28, ESPN reported, citing sources, that Mayfield will play out the final year of his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent. With that being the situation, Austen Bundy of FanSided named the Vikings as a potential landing spot for Mayfield next offseason.
“Considering he hasn’t shown any doubtful signs in play over the last couple years, Mayfield would get at least a two-year deal so that if he beats out McCarthy, the team has a transition QB while it determines how to flip the former Michigan product and plan whether to draft a future starter,” Bundy wrote in his July 29 article.
“Kyler Murray is on a one-year ‘prove it’ deal while the Minnesota Vikings buy time to figure out what to do with potential first-round draft bust J.J. McCarthy,” Bundy wrote. “There is a real possibility both passers start games this year and fail to impress.
“The team likely wouldn’t welcome Murray back, and head coach Kevin O’Connell would probably give McCarthy his final second chance in 2027. Though O’Connell wouldn’t do so without another challenger to insulate his job (if he survives the immediate offseason). That’s where Mayfield would come in.”
Minnesota Vikings Team Press Conferences.
https://www.vikings.com/video/press-conferences
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