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Could new Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray request a trade this year? That is what one writer is suggesting.
Tyler Forness of A-to-Z Sports discussed the Vikings' unique quarterback situation in which Minnesota could pigeonhole Carson Wentz into the backup quarterback role and relegate the loser of the Kyler Murray-J.J. McCarthy competition to the third team offense.
Here's what Forness wrote on the topic.
"Right now, the quarterback room is less about who starts and more about what happens after that decision gets made. Carson Wentz projects for me as the QB2 regardless of whether Murray or McCarthy wins the starting role. The loser of that competition likely ends up off the roster entirely.
If Murray doesn’t win the job, he likely requests a trade because he’s playing for what is probably his final big contract. For McCarthy, losing the competition would essentially eliminate his chance of being the long-term answer in Minnesota. In this scenario, Max Brosmer profiles as the developmental QB3 option.
The structure here is intentional. Keeping Wentz as the backup rather than the losing competitor removes the pressure of a starter constantly looking over his shoulder. That dynamic played a role in Sam Darnold’s success in 2024. Darnold never had someone breathing down his neck, and that mattered for his confidence and his play. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has talked about wanting to give the starting quarterback a long runway to be successful, and this is the likely path forward."
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) runs for a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter at State Farm Stadium. Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
That Murray would request a trade in that scenario is less farfetched than that the scenario would even play out that way in the first place. For McCarthy to win the starting job, it would take plenty of evidence that he has dramatically improved since the 2025 season. It is difficult to envision McCarthy being able to prove that over a couple of months of offseason practices and three preseason games.
The way that Forness lays out the quarterback competition lends itself to the idea that McCarthy, not Murray, will end up in the developmental third string quarterback role. And given that Murray's fourth best NFL season saw him pass for more than twice as many yards as McCarthy's only season in the league, it's hard to see the Vikings going in a different direction at starter.
Despite all the noise coming from the Vikings' camp, hardly any of us truly know how Minnesota will end up ranking their quarterbacks by the start of the season. Even so, we'll maintain that we would be surprised if anyone other than Murray starts in the season opener against the Green Bay Packers.
Continue reading...
Tyler Forness of A-to-Z Sports discussed the Vikings' unique quarterback situation in which Minnesota could pigeonhole Carson Wentz into the backup quarterback role and relegate the loser of the Kyler Murray-J.J. McCarthy competition to the third team offense.
Here's what Forness wrote on the topic.
"Right now, the quarterback room is less about who starts and more about what happens after that decision gets made. Carson Wentz projects for me as the QB2 regardless of whether Murray or McCarthy wins the starting role. The loser of that competition likely ends up off the roster entirely.
If Murray doesn’t win the job, he likely requests a trade because he’s playing for what is probably his final big contract. For McCarthy, losing the competition would essentially eliminate his chance of being the long-term answer in Minnesota. In this scenario, Max Brosmer profiles as the developmental QB3 option.
The structure here is intentional. Keeping Wentz as the backup rather than the losing competitor removes the pressure of a starter constantly looking over his shoulder. That dynamic played a role in Sam Darnold’s success in 2024. Darnold never had someone breathing down his neck, and that mattered for his confidence and his play. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has talked about wanting to give the starting quarterback a long runway to be successful, and this is the likely path forward."
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) runs for a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter at State Farm Stadium. Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
That Murray would request a trade in that scenario is less farfetched than that the scenario would even play out that way in the first place. For McCarthy to win the starting job, it would take plenty of evidence that he has dramatically improved since the 2025 season. It is difficult to envision McCarthy being able to prove that over a couple of months of offseason practices and three preseason games.
The way that Forness lays out the quarterback competition lends itself to the idea that McCarthy, not Murray, will end up in the developmental third string quarterback role. And given that Murray's fourth best NFL season saw him pass for more than twice as many yards as McCarthy's only season in the league, it's hard to see the Vikings going in a different direction at starter.
Despite all the noise coming from the Vikings' camp, hardly any of us truly know how Minnesota will end up ranking their quarterbacks by the start of the season. Even so, we'll maintain that we would be surprised if anyone other than Murray starts in the season opener against the Green Bay Packers.
Continue reading...
