Minnesota Vikings have found their 2026 starting quarterback in veteran Kyler Murray, sidelining J.J. McCarthy to backup duties for yet another season. According to head coach Kevin O’Connell, the younger quarterback still has a long way to go.

“Yeah, absolutely,” O’Connell said during a presser when questioned whether he sees McCarthy having a future in Minnesota. “To me, he’s still a guy that’s only played 10 games. He’s shown improvement off of last year, you know, even in this training camp.

“As he knows, he’s holding the pen on his story. We’re going to support him and try to just help him continue to improve. He’s got to also understand this isn’t just a long-term mindset, which we want to have always for a player his caliber and a young player like him. But it could be an immediate response needed.”

Ever since Minnesota signed Murray to a one-year contract this March, it was assumed by the public he would be the team’s starter come Week 1. He brought seven years’ worth of experience as a starter for Arizona to Minnesota, compared to McCarthy’s one.

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Once again a backup QB, McCarthy’s debut was ruined by a torn meniscus, forcing him to sit out his rookie season. Even though he came back strong in 2025, he went down with an ankle sprain vs the Atlanta Falcons and was sidelined for five games. After he returned, McCarthy went winless in the season, capping it off with yet another injury to his throwing hand.

Heading into his third year with limited playing time, McCarthy could find himself on the move.

“I do not know if the Vikings would trade J.J.,” Ian Rapoport said on The Pat McAfee show. “He’s going to be the backup. The question now is if something happens to Kyler, is he your best option moving forward? Right? Because the Vikings are a team that I think is going to be in it.

“[Carson Wentz] has played well enough to give you confidence that if he had to play, he’d be okay, or maybe better. So like, if you’re a team who like JJ coming out, it actually might make some sense to say like maybe we’ll just trade for him and develop him.”

Minnesota has lost two great quarterbacks in Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold, who are now doing great at their respective teams. Should J.J. McCarthy begin planning for a similar career arc? Only time will tell.