Kyler Murray joins Minnesota: Vikings depth chart with JJ McCarthy in fight for QB job

Adam Schefter has reported that Kyler Murray will join the Minnesota Vikings. He will now battle JJ McCarthy to see who gets the starting job. With this in mind, it’s now a matter of who impresses head coach Kevin O’Connell more. This was also confirmed by the team itself.

The depth chart now has McCarthy, but Murray comes in to fill the place of Carson Wentz, who departed the team. Third-tier Max Brosmer is still on the roster, but he will be relegated in the pecking order. John Wolford also departed the team.

For Murray, this is almost an ultimatum. If he can’t beat McCarthy for the starting job, his days as a QB1 in the NFL are all but done. After all, Arizona preferred to deal with Jacoby Brissett, than continue to trust Murray.

JJ McCarthy is also facing huge pressure

McCarthy was a first-round pick in 2024, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury before he could ever step foot in the gridiron. During his sophomore season, McCarthy didn’t impress, and also missed time with plenty of other injuries. He almost lost his job to Carson Wentz, but Wentz also got injured.

McCarthy came into the league with plenty of hype after guiding Michigan to a College Football National Championship. In 2025 where he played just 10 games, had a 6-4 record, completed a dysmal 57.6% of his passes for only 1632 yards and had 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Hence, the Vikings opted to go for a more experienced guy under center. It’s a serious message for McCarthy, who was very underwhelming.

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Kyler Murray’s Vikings contract includes clause that gives him leverage in 2027

Kevin O’Connell has proven to be a wonderful HC to revive QBs

A change of scenery might be just what Kyler Murray needed. After all, he is going to play for Kevin O’Connell, an offensive mastermind who revived the career of Sam Darnold. Not only that, Murray will have a top-tier WR corp with the likes of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison to make life easier for him. His only task is beating JJ McCarthy for the starting position.