Has JJM's new found "touch" made the decision for QB1 more difficult?
J.J. McCarthy's Touch With the Football Improved in 'Major Way'
If J.J. McCarthy can layer the football and avoid throwing mostly fastballs, maybe he can give Kyler Murray a run for his money in training camp.
Joe Nelson|Jun 19, 2026
J.J. McCarthy during a June 2026 OTA practice in Eagan, Minnesota. | Image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings (Alli Rusco)
What's holding up the Vikings from naming the starting quarterback?
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Vikings want to see Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy working in pads during training camp before settling on the starter. That said, Fowler says most people believe Murray will win the job.
"The way the Vikings see it is, 'Hey, we weren't in pads, there wasn't a lot of hitting or contact. Let's get to camp, see how this goes.' And whether [head coach Kevin O'Connell] lets that competition go into the preseason games will be based on feel," Fowler said Friday on SportsCenter.
"Most people around the league I've spoken to do believe at the end of the day Kyler Murray will win this job. Keep in mind, with J.J. McCarthy, though, the Vikings asked him to fix some things, including to layer the ball, throw at different speeds. I'm told he's addressed that in a major way, and it has shown."
The ability to layer the football instead of throwing nothing but fastballs is clearly a must for McCarthy or any quarterback in the NFL. While he struggled to do it in his first 10 career starts last season, it certainly sounds like the work he did in California with a QB guru has led to improvements.
"Being a young quarterback in this league and having a year under his belt, you get to learn a couple things," Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson said earlier this month. "You get to learn how to be a professional. How to take care of your body. How to take care of your arm, and obviously, how to take care of your mind. So, I feel like he's definitely gotten a little bit smarter in reading the different coverages, understanding the different throws he's making. Everything doesn't have to be 100 miles per hour; some throws you can put a little touch on them and get it to the spot. That is one of his most impactful improvements that he has made."
Murray is definitely the frontrunner to be named QB1, but maybe McCarthy can make O'Connell's decision more difficult than anyone originally thought he could. If that's the case, the Vikings would be wise to hold onto McCarthy all season as a backup plan in case Murray bolts in free agency when the 2027 NFL league year begins next March.
Please God, just one Lombardi before I die.
medaille wrote:
I think there’s a very real chance that no starter is named until an hour before the first regular season kickoff, which is what KOC has done almost every time.
So even if the starter has been named internally, it might not become public knowledge.
If the competition is/winds up being actually close, I agree with you. I think both guys will play a decent amount in the preseason this year too, which I know is very un-KO-like. But A, you get more data from live action and B, frankly both of these guys have been made of glass so the decision might get made for him.
Lastly, I do think there's something to what McCourty said that got posted above- "The Vikings owe it to themselves to see what Kyler can bring". First and foremost they owe it to everyone to win football games sure, but is there really a scenario where the Vikings never put Kyler into real games just to see what might happen? I don't think so. So if that's the case, I bet the coaches will decide, "we may as well start him from the jump".
medaille wrote:
I think there’s a very real chance that no starter is named until an hour before the first regular season kickoff, which is what KOC has done almost every time.
So even if the starter has been named internally, it might not become public knowledge.
I'm not sure how a team could name a starter internally and somehow keep that information secret, given all the access media has to practices. And while there is a benefit to keeping the Packers guessing who our QB is until game day, I think there's almost no chance the starter decision waits that long. Personally, I think a starter will be named after the Raven joint practices at the latest. This will give the starter 1st team reps 24 days before the opener.
"The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it”
I agree MB, That Ravens practice timing is probably the key juncture, not pre-season game 1
Do they use that time to finalize a decision? Or is Qb1 in place by then??
I dont even think KOC knows yet, or does he???
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
StickierBuns wrote:
So, what I see is a young 22-year-old QB that has killer arm talent. A QB that has some fundamental issues. A 22-year-old QB with some issues. Who would have thunk it. You get his fundamentals down, you have yourself a seriously talented QB to lead a team. Let's hope the offseason with John Beck did what it should have for JJ. All I know is that if the game is on the line at the end, JJ decides to become a different QB. Things you simply can't teach. He seems to have that to him. I am guessing because at 22, he didn't think, he just did. There are too many small things that people don't talk about when it comes to having the mentality to win.
The other QB has a win-loss record of 14-28 from November on for his career. Which makes him .333 in those months. So, a little better than what I thought at .286. I cut him a little short....
8-20?
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
Canthony wrote:
Fixed it for ya, Gaddafi
Bad at math or truth? Integrity, get some.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
JustInTime wrote:
Bad at math or truth? Integrity, get some.
Either way its a bad percentage. Sorry I cut your guy a bit short. The word Integrity should never come out of your people's mouth. Have a nice day.
Editing your post after being called out. Integrity. 😆
Bless your heart.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
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