Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell Gets Clear Message on QB Battle
· Yahoo Sports
The Minnesota Vikings‘ quarterback battle between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray will be entering a new phase as the preseason nears.
Minnesota will open the preseason on Aug. 15 against the New York Giants, allowing Murray and McCarthy to see live action against an opposing defense outside of training camp. That game could be a major factor in the decision that head coach Kevin O’Connell needs to make.
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Nonetheless, the question is: By when should O’Connell decide who the team’s starting QB should be? For former NFL wideout and ESPN analyst Harry Douglas, that decision shouldn’t come after all three preseason games.
“I want to say after your second preseason game and in their second preseason game [on Aug. 22], they play the Baltimore Ravens,” Douglas said on the Aug. 7 edition of “Get Up” regarding when O’Connell should decide the QB competition.
“But that gives you a two-week window where your starter could get acclimated to everyone and be the main guy and have that title going into the first week of the season. So after the second preseason game, I think that’s when you want to make that decision. Justin Jefferson’s the star of the offense.”
If O’Connell does decide to go with that timeline, Murray and McCarthy would need to leave it all out on the field against the Giants and Ravens. Moreover, it would allow whoever wins the competition to have the final preseason game on Aug. 28 against the Denver Broncos, a chance to build further chemistry with the starters on offense.
How Vikings, KOC Should Approach QB Battle in Preseason
Meanwhile, with training camp in full swing and the preseason nearing, Tim Hasselbeck noted how the Vikings should approach the competition ahead of the Giants game on Aug. 15.
“Split the reps evenly, and you can do that with the top two guys,” Hasselbeck said in that same segment on “Get Up.” “Then you give a few snaps to the bottom of your roster at the quarterback position. And then as guys earn more, you give them more. I mean, I think that’s ultimately what you do.
“I think this reminds me of the Colts situation where Anthony Richardson wasn’t getting it done. You acknowledge that there’s a problem. You need to create competition. I feel like they’re doing that in Minnesota.”
Kyler Murray Gets Vote of Confidence From Colin Cowherd
Meanwhile, one NFL media member who sees Murray emerging as the winner in this competition is FS1’s Colin Cowherd. Furthermore, Cowherd sees Murray being in an environment that’s trying to put him in a position to succeed as helping the former No. 1 pick thrive with the Vikings.
“I think Kyler Murray is going to go to Minnesota and he’s going to flourish—more stability, more money, better teammates,“Cowherd said during a segment on the Aug. 3 edition of “The Herd.”
“I don’t think he’s going to be as good as Sam Darnold in Minnesota, but here’s my prediction for the numbers that Kyler Murray will get in his first year with Minnesota. His career passer rating is 92. I think he’s going to go to 99. Completion percentage increases from 67 to 68. His 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio goes to 3-to-1.”
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