JJ McCarthy Outplays Kyler Murray in Practice, But Vikings’ QB Battle Still Favors Murray
J.J. McCarthy had his best day of camp on Friday. It still might not be enough to catch Kyler Murray.
The Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback competition remains the biggest storyline of their 2026 training camp, and Friday’s practice gave McCarthy backers something to point to. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, who attended the session, McCarthy was sharper than Murray that day — though Graziano was careful to note it hadn’t been the trend for most of camp. Graziano posted on X: “J.J. McCarthy was better today than Kyler Murray, but I don’t think that’s been the case consistently throughout camp.”
Wrapping up from Vikings camp, where McCarthy was probably better than Kyler today but everyone sounds happy with both of them overall. pic.twitter.com/36AMm7OjVL
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) August 8, 2026
Graziano added that running back Aaron Jones told him the competition has sharpened everyone in the quarterback room, not just the two passers, because the roster understands what’s at stake.
Murray still holds the edge in reps
The bigger picture hasn’t changed much. Multiple outlets tracking practice snaps say Murray continues to get the larger share of first-team work. The Star Tribune reported that Murray has been the leader in the clubhouse for first-team, 11-on-11 reps compared to McCarthy through camp’s opening weeks. Daily Norseman also noted that Murray has gotten the bulk of first-team snaps for several practices running — even as it flagged Thursday’s session as one of McCarthy’s better outings of the summer.
ESPN’s own camp tracking from earlier in the week backs that up. ESPN reported that in one recent 11-on-11 session, Murray took 16 of the first team’s 22 snaps to McCarthy’s six, and that Murray completed all three of his passes to Justin Jefferson that day while going 6-for-7 overall. McCarthy, working mostly against the first-team defense with the second unit, threw an interception and had a tipped pass in the same practice.
None of that is official. Head coach Kevin O’Connell hasn’t named a starter, and the team has publicly framed this as a genuine competition rather than a formality.
| Quarterback | 2025 Record | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.J. McCarthy | 6-4 (10 starts) | 140/243 | 1,632 | 11 | 12 |
| Kyler Murray (ARI, 2025) | N/A | — | 3,366 | 23 | 8 |
Why the reps still matter more than one good day
One strong practice from McCarthy is worth noting, but training camp competitions are usually decided by volume, not a single highlight session. O’Connell has said he wants both quarterbacks to get first- and second-team work before settling on a starter, but the snap counts tell their own story — Murray has consistently drawn the larger share of first-team reps in 11-on-11 drills, the setting closest to real game speed.
That matters because O’Connell’s offense asks a lot of its quarterback pre-snap. Reps with the first-team offense are where a passer builds chemistry with starters like Jefferson, Addison and Hockenson under game-speed pressure. Second-team reps, working against backups, don’t carry the same weight.
Where McCarthy stands entering Year 3
McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a meniscus injury after Minnesota drafted him 10th overall in 2024. He got his first NFL action in 2025, going 6-4 in 10 starts but throwing 12 interceptions against 11 touchdowns — production that ranked among the league’s weaker marks for a starting quarterback. Murray arrived in Minnesota in March after being released by the Arizona Cardinals, who still owe him $36.8 million on the extension he signed in 2022.
The Vikings went 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs after a three-year run atop the NFC North came to an end. Whoever wins the job will be tasked with getting Minnesota back into the postseason picture. The Vikings open the 2026 season at home against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 13 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
