Why Kevin O’Connell Picked Kyler Murray As His Next Starting QB Experiment

The Minnesota Vikings are fully committed to the Kyler Murray experiment. The Vikings didn’t want to hand the job to Murray. They wanted him to earn it, and apparently, that’s what he did in these first few weeks of training camp — now set to start the season as QB1 in coach Kevin O’Connell’s system. Murray beat out J.J. McCarthy, the 2024 10th-overall pick whose development has been startlingly minimal. And while he enjoyed the best training camp of his career, McCarthy couldn’t edge out Murray. The QB competition ended how everyone expected. Even in March, when Murray signed with Minnesota, everyone could see this decision coming. Even safety Josh Metellus remembered that moment fondly. “Man, I loved it,” Metellus told me last week at Vikings camp. “Kyler’s a guy we’ve game planned for a couple times, and I know how much hell that was to not only game plan but to actually play against him. So to get a guy like that on your team, it only elevates your team. We’re trying to be the best team in the National Football League.” They’ll have to start with fighting to be the No. 1 team in the NFC North, a deep division that saw the Vikings finish third last season. But there’s no denying this offense’s potential. O’Connell earned his clout as a QB whisperer by elevating Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold into next-level seasons. Now, he’ll have the opportunity to do the same with Murray. The former No. 1 overall pick may be far removed from his sensational 2020 season (3,971 passing yards, 26 passing TDs; 819 rushing yards, 11 TDs), but Murray is 29 years old and not yet out of his prime. The Cardinals parted ways with him this offseason — deciding to go a new direction at QB. But that doesn’t mean Murray can’t resurface with a little help from O’Connell. As soon as Murray stepped into the offense, running back Aaron Jones admitted Murray’s skills were different. Unique. Special. “The way he’s able to speed up his arm and make throws,” Jones told me last week. “If he sees something and he wants to get it there, you can see him, in real time, speed up his arm. I don’t know if that’s the baseball a little bit or what it is, but you can see him speed it up and get it there. … I haven’t seen that often, where it comes out and it’s coming with zip, but somebody who can speed up their arm. So that was kind of new for me to see.” This season will be new for everyone. For Murray. For O’Connell. For the entire Vikings offense. The whole experiment with Murray is that the Vikings will do what the Cardinals could not. Minnesota will make football easy for Murray. In Arizona, the QB labored to win games. He made sensational plays — but not often enough. Too regularly, he made game-wrecking mistakes. He injured himself doing everything for his offense. And it seemed like Murray finished his career with the Cardinals feeling that he had to do it all by himself. That’s not the case for the Vikings. Here’s what passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown said about what he wants from his starting quarterback. “Don’t feel like you have to put your Superman cape on and win this specific down for us. You’re not going to win one game with one throw,” he told me, adding later, “Kevin’s an unbelievable play-caller, and so I tell these guys all the time: you got really great play-makers around you. You got a really great play-caller and good scheme, and so just play the law of averages. If it’s not there, the next one might be. If that one’s not there, the next one might be. Just play to that — and protect the football.” Under O’Connell, the Vikings have never had a quarterback who is as mobile as Murray. That’s what he brings to the table that’ll require O’Connell to think differently about his system. Murray, however, hasn’t had to take a step back. To remove the ego from the equation. And let his system, his coaches and his teammates take over. But there are millions of reasons why Murray, a former No. 1 overall pick, sees now as his chance to humble himself. He’s standing on a razor-thin edge at this phase of his career. He has to succeed — or risk irrelevance. If he’s looking for an example, he needs only look at teammate Carson Wentz, who was once the King of Philly – and who is now one of the backups for Minnesota. “I was with a team [the Eagles] for so long that I thought it was going forever,” Wentz, a former No. 2 overall pick, told me. “And then I got kind of shipped out, so to speak, kind of like he was in a little bit. Just starting over. If anybody knows how that goes, I know what he’s been through. … I feel like I understand him. We’re very different people with different interests off the field and all that. But it’s been fun, just the little time we’ve had so far working together, get to know him, the quiet competitor that he is; I think he’s done a good job.” This is the chance for Murray and O’Connell to get their grooves back. Their desperation and talent make them a hard duo to bet against.