ESPN’s Adam Schefter said most NFL observers believe Kyler Murray will start for the Vikings in 2026.
Schefter said on air Thursday night that Murray should be consider the odds-on favorite to start for Minnesota in Week 1 after signing a one-year deal worth more than $36 million. J.J. McCarthy, however, will get a shot to compete for the starting gig after his disastrous, injury-marred 2025 campaign. McCarthy, 23, entering his third NFL season, would have to stay healthy this summer to have a shot at taking the team’s QB1 spot, and he would need to improve in every facet of the game, including accuracy. Dillon Gabriel was the only quarterback with a lower completion rate over expected in 2025.