Minnesota Vikings News and Links: Reading The Tea Leaves Of The QB Competition

The QB Competition is unavoidable. So far, the stats show Kyler Murray going 73-for-110 (66.3%) while pushing the ball more aggressively downfield, and J.J. McCarthy going 70-for-103 (67.9%) while playing more conservatively according to most reports.

There has been some major differences though. Over the last four practices, Kyler Murray has out-snapped J.J. McCarthy 63 to 33 with the first-team offense, effectively pulling away in what was publicly framed as an even battle. Overall, Murray has had

146 snaps to JJ’s 136. Both have had up and down days in practice with obvious nuance involved if you want to try and explain those days. Was it in full pads? Was it 7 on 7? Was it full speed? Etc.

You will never be able to convince someone whose mind is already made up. Like mine. I do not know when a decision will be made nor do I know how KOC looks at these camp performances vs what beat writers and fans believe they are seeing.

Why are we here and where will it lead to?
Obviously, JJ being out all of year one led us to this moment. His injuries and play in year two forced the team into the decision to obtain Murray.

The narrative that KOC did not simplify (dumb down) his offense soon enough for JJ is hogwash and just a lame excuse. Heading into year two the team did not bring in any real competition for JJ (why should they?) and he was handed the job. He lit up the New England Patriots in camp joint practices and thus, the team trusted that his year of mental reps had paid off and he was ready to run the entire offense.

Once he got that high ankle sprain it cost him 5 games. When he return his mechanics were naturally a bit rusty but then he gets the concussion. When he came back from that he had the mechanics problem and processing issue. KOC cannot and should not alter an offense just because a QB has a bad outing or two especially one who is basically a rookie. KOC only had to change it up once it was not working for JJ.

Simplifying your offense allows for opposing defenses to easily predict play calls and suffocate players like Jefferson and Addison. Eliminating the over the middle concepts destroyed the effectiveness of JJ and Addison.

In his first 6 starts last year, JJ completed 54% of his passes with 8 TDs and 11 INTs and the team went 2 and 4. In his next 4 starts he completed 64% of his passes with 7 TDs and 3 INTs and the team went 4-0. This last stretch of games is where most supporters point to as evidence of his ability to play at a high level.

By limiting McCarthy’s field of vision strictly to the boundaries and immediate checkdowns, his completion percentage surged to 64% and his turnovers plummeted to just 3 over the final stretch. While it managed to mask McCarthy’s flaws in the short term, it completely capped the offense’s ceiling—severely impacting the production of elite players down the stretch.

The worst part of it was that the team played bottom-tier, unmotivated opponents, including the Commanders (who ranked dead last in defense and had fired their coaches) and a Giants team with an interim defensive coordinator. The Lions sat stars like Aidan Hutchinson, and the Packers completely rested Jordan Love and 15 other starters for the finale.

Over those last four games, McCarthy only averaged 161 passing yards per game, completing 61-for-91 passes for 5 touchdowns to 2 picks while the running backs did the heavy lifting with 421 rushing yards. Star targets were totally neutralized—Justin Jefferson didn’t even cross 100 yards once, averaging a frustrating 54.5 yards per game (19 catches for 218 yards), while Addison, Nailor, and Hockenson were reduced to boundary decoys. The real engine was Brian Flores’ defense, which practically won those games alone by forcing 10 turnovers, logging 18 sacks, and allowing a tiny 6.5 points per game against a depleted schedule.

All in all, it was a tough season for JJ due to injury. These stats are not overly concerning to me for a young inexperienced QB. It is just provided to here to give a little more context to those games. Ultimately, he did what he had to do and did not turn it over which led to the wins.

Heading into the offseason, the team fired Kwesi and named Rob Brezinski interim GM. At the combine, Brez said this:

“We need to have a baseline quarterback play to be successful. Every organization does.”

Brzezinski paired that quote with public praise for McCarthy, calling him a “great person” who “works really hard”. But in the NFL, when management starts praising your personality while stating they are “looking under every stone” for options, the writing is on the wall.

This caught my attention because it made me wonder who told him to say that or gave him the idea of the plan of action? I believe it came from the Wilfs who saw a $140 million investment in Justin Jefferson being wasted on a 54% completion rate, empty stadium seats in December, and a damaged team brand. Did they give the executive order that the 2026 season must be competitive? Me thinks so. KOC likely played a role in just giving his opinion of where JJ was at in his NFL QB Journey.

So they get Murray and begin this “competition”. I am of the opinion that because KOC was a backup QB in the NFL and made that famous quote “teams fail QBs before QBs fail the team” (something like that), he is actually trying to bring JJ along in his journey. I believe KOC truly feels he spoke the truth with that quote, but if he has a mandate to win, how can he not do what is best for the team?

So what happens if the team decided to name Murray the starter? Will they hang onto to JJ? Nolan Teasley has no ties to JJ. Will the team want to have a circus environment every time Murray throws a pick, has a bad game, or the team loses?

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 QB Announcement Coming Soon?
https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/starting-qb-announcement-coming-soon-reports/

The Minnesota Vikings have a lot going on at 2026 training camp. But until the quarterback competition is OFFICIALLY decided between Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy, nothing else really matters.

In fact, after McCarthy had his best day of camp so far on Friday, there’s a loud segment of fans on social media — and undoubtedly some national media members — who still believe the QB “battle” in Minnesota is far from over.
…
“JJ McCarthy had a really nice training camp practice Friday for the Vikings. He had a deep out route that he completed to Dontae Fleming, had three touchdown passes in a four-play red zone drill a little bit later on, and overall just a really nice day, maybe his best day of the summer.

But that would be more important if there already wasn’t a big gap between him and Kyler Murray in the competition to become the Vikings’ starting quarterback. It’s a reminder that even when training camp began, anybody who had a good knowledge of the situation and the two players involved knew that JJ McCarthy would have a lot of ground to make up to really challenge Murray for this job.

While he has had some good days like today, on Friday, he has not gotten to the point where he is seriously challenging Kyler Murray. At the very least, the likelihood that Kyler Murray is going to be the starting quarterback has only increased over the course of the first two weeks at camp, and that’s where we expect it to go.”

Kevin Seifert – ESPN.com

If you have been following local media like Seifert, Ben Goessling (Star Tribune), Matt Coller (Purple Insider) — or any other of the handful of reporters at TCO on a near-daily basis this time of year — you already know where Minnesota’s QB competition is heading.

Whenever the announcement from head coach Kevin O’Connell eventually comes — or the news is broken by a national insider like Adam Schefter — nobody regularly consuming MSF or any of the above reporters will walk away from their phones surprised.

Still, given the national narrative surrounding Minnesota’s “still even” QB competition, an announcement anytime soon would send shockwaves across the league and on social media. And if what I’ve seen on Twitter (X) recently is any indication… some light rioting may even be possible.

What We Learned from JJ McCarthy’s Bounceback Day at Vikings Camp
https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-vikings/jj-mccarthy-bounceback-day-training-camp/

Vikings Training Camp Observations: Jeshaun Jones & Chuck Demmings Stack Another Strong Day
https://www.vikings.com/news/2026-training-camp-observations-jeshaun-jones-chuck-demmings

Vikings training camp recap, Day 9: QB notes and standout performers
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/vikings_training_camp_recap_day_9_qb_notes_and_standout_performers/s1_17813_44153689

Jamal Adams Showing Versatility with Vikings
https://www.vikings.com/news/jamal-adams-versatility-2026-training-camp

“It Gets Frustrating”: Justin Jefferson Reveals Honest Feelings When Vikings QBs Fail to Do Their Job
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/gets-frustrating-justin-jefferson-reveals-194008311.html

Vikings rookie is becoming undeniable, continues making strong case for Mr. Mankato award
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/vikings_rookie_is_becoming_undeniable_continues_making_strong_case_for_mr_mankato_award/s1_17313_44153914

Vikings WR Makes His Case With Huge Day at Training Camp
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/wr-makes-case-huge-day-camp/

Dan Graziano on Vikings Quarterbacks & Brian Flores’ Strong Defense
https://www.vikings.com/video/dan-graziano-kyler-murray-jj-mccarthy-quarterbacks-brian-flores-defense-2026

Vikings RB Starting to Make Some Serious Noise at Camp
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/rb-starting-make-serious-noise/

The P/PTSD Perspective: Vikings Runner Concern, Roster Moves, and Bad News for J.J. McCarthy
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/p-ptsd-perspective-vikings-runner-120000101.html

Colin Cowherd pounces on the J.J. McCarthy moment he waited for
https://thevikingage.com/colin-cowherd-pounces-on-minnesota-vikings-jj-mccarthy-moment

The 3 Teams to Monitor if J.J. McCarthy Gets Put Onto Trade Market
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/opinion/3-j-j-mccarthy-trade-market

Vikings Training Camp Observations: Jamal Adams Switches Jersey & Roles
https://www.vikings.com/news/2026-training-camp-jamal-adams-observations

NFL Insider Touts Minnesota Vikings’ Top Draft Pick as ‘Major Impact Player’ After Camp Visit
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nfl-insider-touts-minnesota-vikings-200803580.html

4 Rookies Already Making Waves at Vikings Training Camp: Demmings, Banks Stealing the Spotlight
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/4-rookies-already-making-waves-at-vikings-training-camp-demmings-banks-stealing-the-spotlight-01kzbt0g1pq2

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins Incorporating Crafty Refinements in 2nd Vikings Camp
https://www.vikings.com/news/tyrion-ingram-dawkins-refinements-training-camp-2026

Get to Know Vikings DL Isaiahh Loudermilk
https://www.vikings.com/news/get-to-know-defensive-lineman-isaiahh-loudermilk

There Is One Lesson Vikings Fans Should Remember During Training Camp
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/there-is-one-lesson-vikings-fans-should-remember-during-training-camp/

Vikings 53-Man Roster Projection: First 7 training camp practice provide fascinating blueprint for Nolan Teasley
https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/vikings-53-man-roster-projection-after-7-training-camp-practices-jj-mccarthy-kyler-murray-justin-jefferson/

Larry Fitzgerald Reminisces with Cris Carter: From Vikings Ball Boy to Hall of Fame
https://www.vikings.com/news/larry-fitzgerald-cris-carter-ball-boy-to-hall-of-fame

Larry Fitzgerald, Jr., and Cris Carter eased into folding chairs.

A wave of current Vikings players had just finished making sure their family met the two members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame last Thursday.

Fitzgerald, who will be enshrined this Saturday as a member of the Class of 2026, glanced 50 or so yards away at young Vikings fans before participating in the interview with “Uncle Cris” on the practice fields at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center.

In one moment, Fitzgerald’s past — one that involved seeking autographs of Vikings from the ’80s and ’90s during his childhood fandom reconnected with his teenage years when he was a ball boy at practices that featured Carter (Class of 2013) and fellow Hall of Famer Randy Moss (Class of 2018) — ran a comeback route.

He was tabbed by the Vikings to present Carter with a “Century Club” football custom designed to recognize everyone who played at least 100 games with the franchise. Carter’s tally of regular-season contests and playoff games totaled an even 200 and included incredible catches and feats that became fathomable for Fitzgerald.

“I was one of these kids, even before I was a ball boy, lined up on the fence,” Fitgerald reflected 10 days before reaching football immortality via his enshrinement.
…
So many steps of Fitzgerald’s journey, from Holy Angels to two elite seasons at Pittsburgh to becoming the No. 3 overall pick of 2004 to a franchise legend, were enabled from his time on the Vikings sidelines. He soaked up valuable lessons while his father, who passed away June 1 at age 71, pioneered as a sports journalist, rounding out perspective.

“I’m not naïve to the fact that without this experience, being a Viking for multiple years, being able to be around [Cris] and Randy and John Randle and Randall McDaniel and Chris Doleman, some of these legends that are immortalized in history forever, I don’t know if I would’ve set my heights high enough to think that it was attainable for me to be in his position,” Fitzgerald said. “They made it a reality, and especially Cris because he welcomed me into his home. He fed me with his own food. He let me stay at his home. He let me train with him. I could ask him questions. He would impart wisdom. He gave me confidence when I didn’t always have confidence. He was there for me during emotionally traumatic experiences, losing parents.

“My journey is much deeper than any football catch or any route that I could run,” Fitzgerald added. “I call him ‘Uncle Cris.’ And I don’t do that to be perfunctory. It is really how I feel. He is my uncle. And I worked tirelessly to try to make him proud. He endorsed me. He gave me credibility by endorsing me, and that means so much to me.”

As Fitzgerald’s career blossomed, people asked Carter about the backstory.

“People ask me all the time, ‘Cris, did you see something [in Fitzgerald’s talent]?’ And even his father, his brother, they used to ask me all the time, ‘What do you think? Do you think he’s D-I? Do you think he can make it pro?’

“I used to always be like, ‘Let’s concentrate on D-I. Let’s get to our college.’ But there were a couple moments,” Carter said. “And when we used to have the JUGS machine hitting the punts in windy Mankato, and dude was out there grabbing. I’m talking about, poof. I’m like, ‘OK, now that’s different.’

“The punt off a JUGS machine is the hardest ball to catch,” said the man who caught a pass thrown by Peyton Manning off a Manhattan skyscraper. “It’s the hardest to judge. But his overall timing and catching it with all hands, I was like, ‘OK, now that is different.’

“Going to his home games here, Holy Angels, he used to do the one-hand grab,” Carter added. “Across the middle of that one game I came to, he caught that one off the ground, and I said, ‘OK, now we might have something.’ I told your dad after that, ‘Keep it under wraps, but we might be onto something here.’ But along the way, athletes like him, you see them and their overall mentality is totally different. And he’s been that way since he was 15.”

Fitzgerald remembered the Panthers visiting the Miami Hurricanes in 2002. Carter had transitioned from Minnesota to Miami for his final pro season and made the trip to the Thursday game.

“I’ll never forget — I caught a touchdown on the left sideline. He was right there with me, gave me a high-five — the way he made me feel. I felt like I could do anything,” Fitzgerald said. “It didn’t matter if Sean Taylor or Jon Vilma, it didn’t matter who was out there. I got my uncle here with me. And it just gave me so much confidence to — “

“And they were loaded — ” Carter interjected.

“It didn’t matter. That made me feel good,” Fitzgerald resumed. “And driving from Boca Raton down to the Orange Bowl … that’s an hour and 15 minutes,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s a long way to drive on a game week, too. … All those sacrifices meant a great deal to me.”

Beyond the connection established during Vikings practices and strengthened in more familial situations, Fitzgerald and Carter are two of the most productive players in the sport’s history who had some of the lowest levels of quarterback continuity.

During Carter’s time in Minnesota (1990-2001), the most consecutive seasons with the same leading Vikings passer occurred from 1990-92 with Rich Gannon leading the way. In 1993, it was Jim McMahon before Warren Moon helped Carter record 122 receptions in back-to-back seasons. Brad Johnson led the Vikings in passing in 1996 and 1997 before Randall Cunningham’s remarkable resurgence after Johnson’s injury in 1998. Jeff George led the way in 1999 before Daunte Culpepper’s first season as a starter in 2000.

Fitzgerald’s run with the Cardinals featured multiple QB carousel rides, but it was highlighted with four seasons of Kurt Warner (2005 and 2007-09) and four with Carson Palmer (2013 and 2015-17) as the team’s leading passer.

“For him to have that type of career with that type of inconsistency is really unheard of or unmatched, especially in the Hall of Fame,” Carter said. “That’s the reason why I’m very, very excited to see the journey. He didn’t go down a paved road. He did a lot of stuff out on the dirt road where a lot of people couldn’t see him, but it all added up to a Hall of Fame career. So very, very proud of what he has done.”

Fitzgerald said watching Carter, often credited as having some of the best hands in football history, up close all those seasons instilled the importance of doing his best on every play.

“My job is when they ask me to run a stop, that I run that stop with the very best of my ability, and I’m open. It that ball is there when it comes, I need to catch it. And if it’s high, I need to jump. If it’s low, I need to go down and get it. I need to make [the QB] right. And that was my mentality,” Fitzgerald said. “I saw Cris do it in practice every day. Balls would be high, they’d be low. One hand, toe taps, you name it and he was doing it. And I said, ‘I’m not going to be a guy with excuses. I’m not going to be a guy who finds reasons why things didn’t go well. I’m going to find it. I’m going to find it in the dirt.’ That’s how I tried to approach it, and I saw that from him.”

Carter noted the influence the Vikings organization had on his career, and the opportunities that have followed for him to give back by mentoring. He appreciates every opportunity, even if not all will result in a legacy like Fitzgerald’s.

“I’ve been fortunate enough that God has put me around a lot of young men, and I never expect anything back,” Carter said. “And along the way, I tell them, my payback is doing this for someone else. So if you look at Larry’s legacy, it’s not only on the field, it’s what he’s done off the field. It’s how he’s handled his brand. It’s how he’s handled his teammates, his relationships.

“When you look at how he went about it, he earned this. Yeah, he started off with the Vikings and everything,” Carter said. “Every step that he took was intentional, and he maximized that moment. Life is about moments.”

Mark Wilf: Our family intends to be part of the Vikings for a “very, very long time”
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/mark-wilf-our-family-intends-to-be-part-of-the-vikings-for-a-very-very-long-time

“The business side of it is not what got us into the Minnesota Vikings,” co-owner Mark Wilf told reporters on Thursday. “We love football. We’re honored and privileged to be stewards of an incredible franchise, and our ultimate goal is to bring championships to the fans of the Minnesota Vikings, who really deserve it. And that’s what we’re about, and that’s the excitement, and we’re long term, we’re a family that is going to hopefully be part of the Minnesota Vikings for a very, very long time.”

Wilf also said that the Vikings “aren’t focused on” the possibility of selling a piece of the team to any of the approved private-equity funds.

Yore Mock

Trade Partner: Cowboys
Sent: Pick 13 & Pick 239
Received: Pick 27 & Pick 47
…
Pick 27. Jamari Johnson TE Oregon 6’5″ 257
Pick 45. Brice Pollock CB Texas Tech 6’0″ 195
Pick 47. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Ohio State 6’5″ 265
Pick 77. Justice Haynes RB Georgia Tech 5’10” 210
Pick 86. Keon Sabb S Alabama 6’1″ 204
Pick 146. Kip Lewis LB Oklahoma 6’1″ 227
Pick 151. Luke Montgomery OG Ohio State 6’4″ 312
Pick 182. Nyckoles Harbor WR South Carolina 6’5″ 235
Pick 212. Emmanuel Oyebadejo DL5T Florida 6’6″ 303