The Vikings currently have four quarterbacks on the roster. There is no starter, for now.
Coach Kevin O’Connell explained during a recent visit with PFT Live that, eventually, there will be a clear delineation of positions on the depth chart.
The real question is when. He didn’t rule out the possibility of determining the starter entering training camp. That seems unlikely, however. The competition will likely commence during preseason practices and games.
The goal, as O’Connell explained it, is to have one guy lead the way throughout the season. That’s what happened in 2022, when Kirk Cousins started all 17 games, and in 2024, when Sam Darnold started all 17 games. The Vikings went 27-7 in those two seasons.
It will come down, undoubtedly, to Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy. O’Connell explained that he has no concern about McCarthy becoming disenchanted if he doesn’t win the job.
The best news for the Vikings is that, however it plays out, they’ll have a solid No. 2 and (if Carson Wentz makes the final 53) a third-stringer who can win games if need be. Last year, Wentz showed up less than two weeks before Week 1, and he played better than anyone could have expected. This year, he’ll be involved throughout the offseason program and training camp.
In 2025, the Vikings came within a whisker of the playoffs, despite having three different quarterbacks start games. This year, with the Vikings learning down the stretch that there are ways to win that don’t rely on a high-octane passing game, they could find a way to do better than expected.
But that’s how it’s been going for the Vikings in recent years. When the bar is low, they do well. When the bar is high, they sputter.
This year, the bar is low again. Which is exactly where they need it to be.
