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Report: MN Vikings QB Competition Nearing End
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- Report: MN Vikings QB Competition Nearing End
Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings are meeting for a final OTA practice on Thursday. Then, players will take a week before everyone gathers back at TCO Performance Center for mandatory minicamp from June 9 through June 11.
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So far, the allocation of quarterback reps out in Eagan between Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy has been much closer than the actual competition between the two quarterbacks. Both on the field and off , the clear QB leader has reportedly been Murray, and it's not close .
Outsiders aren't the only ones noticing the difference between Minnesota's two quarterbacks this spring. Obviously, the Vikings see it too, which is probably why Tom Pelissero (NFL Network) told the Power Trip Morning Show today on KFAN that he's expecting a QB resolution in Eagan much sooner than later.
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In fact, according to what the national NFL insider (and Edina, MN native) reported this morning, we could see QB practice reps start to shift away from even, as soon as today.
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Pelissero even went as far as to say that he expects the MN Vikings to have chosen their starting quarterback by the end of spring. In case you haven't checked your handy dandy calendar, of late, that's June 21.
"At least through the first two weeks of OTAs, [reps were] split 50/50 between Kyler and J.J.. So from the aspect of equal opportunity rotating, who goes first in in drills and things like that, they've been on the same playing field so far with those two."
"I would anticipate, you know, as soon as this week — I know the reporters will be out there at practice today — you may see the reps, it maybe evolve a little bit. I don't believe that Kevin needs to take this all the way through the third preseason game to determine his starting quarterback. You're going to probably have a pretty good idea by the end of spring what direction this is going to go."
It isn't surprising to hear that the Minnesota Vikings are seeing the same things everyone else is, when it comes to their quarterbacks. What is slightly startling is how swiftly they plan to move, not that the answer at quarterback is clear.
Unlike what we have seen in the past with JJ, the Vikings are not as interested in how McCarthy's ego will feel this offseason. They gave him his chance to start last year, and tried to give him a fair shake to compete for the job this summer.
JJ McCarthy trade possible if Kyler Murray takes QB1 job
Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like he's even going to make it that far. Toward the end of Tom's long winding answer (to god knows what the original question actually was), he finally admits that the MN Vikings' QB job does appear to be Kyler's to lose at this point (my words not his).
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Then, notably, Pelissero went into the chances that Minnesota looks to trade JJ McCarthy, if Kyler Murray is indeed crowned QB1 by the end of minicamp, or soon thereafter — something he says the Vikings are probably having conversations about.
"Again, I would imagine you're going to start to see the reps perhaps change a little bit here over these next couple of weeks as they hone in on, you know, what their plan is going to be going into training camp.
And I'm not [reporting] this — I don't know what direction they're going to go as you get closer to the season — but let's say Kyler wins the job, which if you had to lean one way or another sitting right here, I would say I would lean toward Kyler is the starting quarterback, do you have JJ as the backup?
Do you potentially look to trade him while there's still some intrigue within the league and you might, you know, be able to get more for him with two years left on his rookie contract than with one year left? Um, those are all things that I would think [the Vikings are] going to talk through."
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