What everyone wants to know: Who will be the Vikings' starting quarterback?

Emily Leiker, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Jul 27, 2026

Published in Football

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MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings begin training camp Wednesday, with the first session open to fans Aug. 1.

If you’re just catching up for the first time since last season — when the Vikings finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs — before making the trip to TCO Performance Center for some sun and practice viewing, we’ve got you covered on what will be the talking point of Vikings camp: The quarterback competition.

Here are the basics you need to know:

The Vikings have four signal callers entering training camp: J.J. McCarthy, Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer.

McCarthy, who started 10 games for the Vikings in 2025, and Murray, who the Vikings signed to a 1-year deal in March, are at the heart of the team’s competition.

McCarthy is the quarterback the Vikings initially staked their future on two years ago when they drafted him No. 10 overall out of Michigan.

But in his 10 starts last year, which came after spending the 2024 season benched by a torn meniscus in his right knee, McCarthy completed only 57.6% of passes, the worst in the league per Next Gen Stats, and threw 12 interceptions to 11 touchdowns. He also battled injuries to his ankle and hand, plus went through concussion protocol, causing him to miss time.

Murray arrived in Minnesota this spring after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Arizona Cardinals. The 2020 NFL offensive rookie of the year, Murray has finished four seasons with more than 3,000 passing yards. His completion percentage through nearly 3,000 pass attempts is 67.1%.

Murray is expected to bring a different set of skills to the Vikings offense, particularly when it comes to his scrambling ability. But he has also dealt with injuries in recent seasons and has only played one complete season in the past five years.

Wentz, the veteran who the Vikings added in August 2025 to be McCarthy’s No. 2, returns from a shoulder injury that ended his season prematurely. Despite not being in the immediate mix for the starting role, Wentz’s experience both on-field and more broadly as a leader are being leaned on.

McCarthy and Murray split reps during the team’s offseason program, and, at least for the opening days and potentially weeks of training camp, are likely do do the same.

Murray, who was the starter his entire career in Arizona outside of being injured, admitted during mini camp he had to adjust to the arrangement.

“Now having to split reps, me already being behind, not getting the amount of reps you would typically want a guy to get learning an offense, that’s probably the toughest part,” Murray said.

The format of the offseason program, which largely bans physical contact, and mini camp limited much of what each QB was able to showcase. O’Connell also uses that period of the calendar primarily as a “learning and teaching” phase.

Training camp will offer more room for each QB to showcase their strengths and, particularly for McCarthy, prove they’ve spent time working to smooth some of the bumps their games have had in the past.

O’Connell has not publicly set a timeline for when a starting quarterback will be named, and he has said he doesn’t believe setting a specific date for a decision would be “accurate” to how the staff views the competition.

In an answer at the end of mandatory minicamp June 11, O’Connell alluded to the possibility that joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens, scheduled for Aug. 19-20, along with preseason games (at New York Giants on Aug. 15, vs. Ravens Aug. 22, at Denver Broncos Aug. 28) could be used as barometers in the decision.

“Part of this with the limited time you do have is you’ve got to put it together in a way that challenges those guys and see who responds, see who handles adversity well and ultimately see who elevates the offense‚" O’Connell said.

In addition to O’Connell, some other staffers likely to be involved in deciding a starting quarterback for 2026 include quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, assistant quarterbacks coach Jordan Traylor, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips and general manager Nolan Teasley.

Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson could be asked for some input as a voice O’Connell trusts and a major part of the offense, but he said himself in June that he expects the final decision to be a “coaches call.”

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