The Minnesota Vikings are in a pickle with just a few months remaining before the start of the new season. The Vikings, following their struggles with a backup option when JJ McCarthy was injured last season, brought in Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray to bolster their quarterback room.
But a question has arisen: who will be the starter and who will be the backup?
Will it be the young quarterback whom they drafted two years ago in the first round as an option to develop, or will it be the 2019 OROY? The Vikings are looking to improve on their 9-8 record last season and find their way back to the playoffs. In 2024, under a re-surging Sam Darnold, they won fourteen games and played the postseason, though they didn't advance much.
As they prepare for a similar season to the Darnold-led one, Kevin O'Connell has a pretty daunting task to pick one of the two to lead the team. According to NFL Insider Tom Pelissero, it's going to be a competitive quarterback battle that will select their starter coming season.
They envision it being a true competition: Kyler Murray versus JJ McCarthy. And both these guys are going to go into this believing they're gonna win this job. I don't know frankly how friendly that quarterback room is going to be. It's going to be a very competitive quarterback room.
Tom Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen ShowIn 2025-26, McCarthy started ten games, threw for just 1,632 yards and 11 touchdowns while recording 12 interceptions as well. He added another four touchdowns and 181 yards on the ground.
His numbers are a stark contrast to those of the other quarterbacks in his draft class, like Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and Caleb Williams. McCarthy's performance was marred by severe injuries: a high ankle sprain from Weeks 3 to 8, a concussion in Week 13, and a right-throwing hand fracture in Week 17 after playing with an injury on the same hand since Week 10.
PFF graded McCarthy 61.8 overall, 35th amongst 43 qualified QBs. The injuries were identified as the reason behind his decline, as well as poor turnover rate affected his grade. Nonetheless, the Vikings' report suggested that there's untapped potential in the youngster. On the other hand, Murray had a very short season, suffering a foot injury in Week 5 and missing the rest of the season.
The Minnesota Vikings quarterback room has Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer in addition to JJ McCarthy and Kyler Murray. Though Wentz has announced that he's fully healthy, the competition seems to be between the latter two, and the veteran might become the third-string.
Well, a new name might be added to that if things go well with Cooper Rush, who joined the two-day rookie minicamp hosted by the Vikings at the TCO Performance Center. The 32-year-old quarterback arrives with nine years of NFL experience, having spent most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys before a stint with the Baltimore Ravens last season.
Rush is best known for stepping into the starting role for Dallas between 2021 and 2024, compiling a respectable 9-5 record in 14 starts. Ironically, his first NFL start came against Minnesota at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2021.
However, it's highly unlikely that Rush becomes an official signing for Minnesota. He's most likely selected in the tryouts to have an experienced quarterback and use him to see the pass catchers in action.
Aidan Bouman, who transferred to the South Dakota Coyotes from Iowa State Cyclones, was the other quarterback at the two-day event. Bouman is also the son of a former Vikings player, who donned their colors in 2001 and 2002, as well as represented the New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars.
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