The Minnesota Vikings went from winning 14 games to not even making the playoffs last season.
Clearly, quarterback play took a massive toll on Kevin O’Connell’s team’s ability to succeed, which is why they may not be as sold on J.J. McCarthy as they once were.
As such, it’s hardly surprising to know that Kyler Murray is currently the overwhelming favorite to be on the field in Week 1, according to ESPN insider Kevin Seifert.
Of course, that doesn’t mean things can’t change down the stretch, especially with Murray just getting a hold of a new offense.
Kyler Murray is the favorite to start at quarterback for the Vikings
“Murray is the heavy favorite to win the job, but it’s impossible to pull eyes away from any unsettled quarterback situation. In his previous seven NFL seasons, Murray has displayed the arm talent necessary to succeed in O’Connell’s offense. But how long will it take him to grow accustomed to what is admittedly a complex scheme, one that requires active eyes and patient feet in the pocket?” wrote Seifert.
Murray still has to prove that he can operate under center more often, which is a crucial part of O’Connell’s offense.
Given his smaller frame, Murray is much more used to playing out of the shotgun formation, and that’s not a minor adjustment to make after so many years.
Regardless, while O’Connell can’t make Murray grow a couple of inches, he’s a savvy offensive schemer and a quarterback guru, so he should be more than able to adjust his system to the former No. 1 pick.
Whether that’s the end of the line in the Twin Cities for McCarthy remains to be seen, but for now, it looks like he has plenty of catching up to do.
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