Andrew Buller-Russ
After realizing that J.J. McCarthy had more growing pains than anticipated, the Minnesota Vikings set out on a course to boost the competition in their quarterback room. They quickly found what felt like a perfect match in former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray.
Despite Murray being a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has described this as a starting QB competition from the very beginning. The Vikings coach has suggested that he won’t name a starter until the summer, but some believe his hand may be forced earlier than O’Connell anticipates.
Recently, Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer suggested that coach O’Connell could eventually come to the determination that it would be best if he named a starting QB sooner than later, altering his original timeline.
Breer’s belief stems from comments Murray made earlier this week, where he stressed the difficulty of being in rhythm while only getting half of the reps with the first-team offense rather than the full share. As a result, Breer believes the Vikings will eventually just announce Murray or McCarthy as QB1, before the team gets to training camp.
“Yes, O’Connell wants to be fair, and he flat-out said this week that the competition is going to carry into the summer. But at the same time, Murray put words to the elephant on the couch in any such competition. To be fair to the quarterbacks and the other 10 guys in the offensive huddle, eventually, there’s going to be a point where giving the team its starting signal-caller will be the best thing for everyone. Which is why I don’t think this is going to drag out late into the summer.”
Albert Breer on Vikings QB competition
As much as the spirit of the competition can bring out the best, the Vikings’ offense likely would benefit from installing their starter sooner than later. Doing so would help the QB1 generate the best chemistry possible with the receiving corps while helping them get more comfortable with the offense.
If the Vikings want to enter the season in full stride, then naming a starting QB early in camp or even before, will give them their best chance at being prepared to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 1. Coach O’Connell knows it too, and some believe the announcement could only be a matter of time.
Related: 10 NFL Teams That Could End Super Bowl Drought in February
