A lot of the talk around the Vikings’ quarterback battle has centered on Kyler Murray as the front-runner over J.J. McCarthy. But ESPN’s Ben Solak isn’t buying the idea that this is a clean fit just because Murray arrived as the more established name.
Solak pointed to the kind of passers Kevin O’Connell has gotten the most out of in Minnesota, noting that Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold were both quarterbacks with "big frames, talented arms and a willingness to throw over the middle of the field."
That’s where the concern starts with Murray.
"It's easy to see how Murray doesn't fit in the O'Connell offense -- he doesn't throw to the middle of the field well and doesn't hang tall in the pocket," Solak wrote. "Harder to see but perhaps more impactful is what he might do to the O'Connell offense, or in other words, what he might precipitate out of this system that has spread rapidly across the league."
One report said Murray entered the NFL’s summer break as "the favorite to win the starting job in training camp." Still, O’Connell suggested in June that this competition could stretch through multiple preseason games.
That matters because the reps Murray and McCarthy get in exhibition play won’t come close to matching the pressure of the regular season. And while Solak sees reasons Murray could be "a poor fit for O'Connell's offense," he also stressed that O’Connell’s system has never been frozen in place.
"Over his seasons as the Vikings' head coach," Solak explained, "[O'Connell] has done well to put imperfect quarterbacks in strong positions to succeed. Last season, both J.J.
McCarthy and Carson Wentz attempted fewer passes to the intermediate middle than any other quarterback O'Connell coached in Minnesota or [while serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams during the 2020 and 2021 seasons]. Wentz was under center on only 37.4% of his dropbacks, again O'Connell's lowest mark.
McCarthy threw more deep outbreaking routes than any O'Connell quarterback -- the sort of routes that O'Connell will need for Murray, as they're easier for him to see."
Solak’s bottom line is that the upside in Minnesota might be bigger than people are giving it credit for. "the ceiling in Minnesota with Murray is far, far higher than we're inclined to estimate."
The first real glimpse at how this battle might unfold comes Aug. 15, when the Vikings open the preseason at the New York Giants.
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