Kyler Murray’s game has always had the kind of speed that can break a defense’s spine in a blink. What the Minnesota Vikings are now talking about, though, is something quieter and maybe more important: the passing details that can make that speed matter inside Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
At a Sept. 2 press conference, general manager Nolan Teasley said the Vikings have seen Murray grow beyond the obvious stuff. The mobility is still there, but so is a better feel for anticipation, tighter ball placement and more comfort at the line of scrimmage.
“We started to see the legs as we got into more realistic football situations. We always knew that was there.
But then the anticipatory throwing ability, the ability to fit the football into tight windows and be a spot thrower that's continued to grow. And then we commented on his ability at the line of scrimmage.
So, really excited about where he is.”
Murray, 29, won the starting job on Aug. 11, but Teasley’s comments point to a more useful conversation than simply who beat out whom. The real question is how well Murray can operate within an offense that asks the quarterback to be on time.
O’Connell’s system lives on footwork and timing. The ball has to come out before the receiver is fully open, not after the defender has already reacted. That’s the difference between a clean completion and a play that’s already late by the time it lands.
There are signs Minnesota liked what it saw this summer. In a June 4 practice report, Vikings writer Rob Kleifield noted Murray throwing Jeshaun Jones open over the middle against tight coverage. That’s the kind of throw that hints at anticipation, even if doing it once in practice is a lot different from doing it all season.
The same goes for placement. A quarterback doesn’t need a receiver to be wide open if he can put the ball where only his guy can get it.
That showed up during Aug. 17 red-zone work, when Murray connected with T.J. Hockenson for three touchdowns in seven-on-seven against the first defense.
On one of those plays, Hockenson had to box out Jay Ward, go up and get both toes down. There was no pass rush in the drill, but the throw still had to be right where Hockenson could finish it.
Teasley also pointed to Murray’s work at the line of scrimmage, though he didn’t spell out exactly what responsibilities have improved. Even so, that kind of command matters. Getting lined up properly and getting the snap off without late chaos is a basic sign of an offense that’s running cleanly.
Murray didn’t give Minnesota much preseason evidence to work with in the opener, when he attempted only three passes. The running backs handled the opening drive, so there simply wasn’t much there to judge.
The next real test comes Sept. 13, when the Green Bay Packers visit.
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