Kyler Murray seems to be pulling ahead in Vikings QB competition, as expected

We’ve been watching, but not saying much about, the drip-drip of the quarterback competition in Minnesota. Much of the evidence based on completion percentages and interceptions can be misleading, for various reasons.

First, the quarterback of the starting offense will usually face the starting defense. The player running with the twos will be facing the second-string defense. Two, plays can be “scripted for success,” aimed at making the player look better by dialing up a specific play against a defense the play is designed to beat.

Three, it’s not live football. The quarterback can’t get hit. That introduces a real difference to the stress the player is feeling as the walls close in.

That said, all online indications based on Saturday’s practice are that Kyler Murray has begun to assert himself. Which makes sense. He’s objectively more talented than J.J. McCarthy. If it was close at first, Murray’s lack of knowledge and experience in the offense was a factor.

Murray’s speed and elusiveness have yet to move to the forefront. That gives him a clear advantage when it’s time to play, since the threat of Murray running will keep defenses honest. Which could open up passing lanes that, in practice, defenses aren’t going to abandon as quickly.

The Vikings, who passed on keeping Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones a year ago in lieu of giving McCarthy a full season as QB1, didn’t sign Murray to ride the bench. If he was going to be the backup, he likely would have cast his lot with the Rams, who wanted him to be the understudy to Matthew Stafford.

Consider the comments of Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown regarding the extra dynamic Murray brings to the position.

“We’ve all seen SportsCenter, the stuff that he does with his legs — so you can’t discount that,” McCown said, via Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports. “We want to coach him and kind of ask him, to a degree, to operate in our offense and then add his touch to it within that as those plays. The game gives you those opportunities. You don’t know when it’s going to happen, but those plays come up. And so we’re hoping that that’ll be a positive for us if/when that does happen. But it’s coaching him as if he’s just another Vikings quarterback that’s in our system, learning our system, trying to grow him in our system the right way. And then again, letting his God-given ability and skill set take over when he plays.”

Through all of the clips and snippets and quotes and scorecards from the first week of camp, the one thing that resonates the most for us came from an unnamed Cardinals coach, who gave this candid and telling comment to Alec Lewis of The Athletic: “I think you’re about to see the best version of Kyler Murray. And I’m fucking pissed that I’m not going to get to be a part of it. I’m going to be jealous when he’s in a good environment, his headspace is good, and he shows people who the fuck he is.”

So, yes, it’s a competition. But it would be a surprise if Murray doesn’t win it. Especially since he brings to Minnesota’s offense something it hasn’t had since the days of Daunte Culpepper — a quarterback who is a real threat to tuck the ball and run to daylight.

Click here to read article