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To the surprise of some local and national reporters, Minnesota Vikings<\/a> head coach Kevin O’Connell<\/a> did not name free-agency signing\u00a0<\/span>Kyler Murray<\/a> the team’s starting quarterback over third-year pro J.J. McCarthy<\/a> before the NFL’s<\/a> ongoing summer break got underway.\u00a0<\/p>\n While speaking with reporters via a Zoom call related to the American Century Championship golf event, O’Connell offered a hint for why he feels either Murray or McCarthy could enjoy success as the team’s QB1 later this fall.\u00a0<\/p>\n “What we\u2019ve tried to do is put together a world where the quarterback \u2014 whoever is in the game for us \u2014 can prepare and simply do their job,” O\u2019Connell explained, per Ryan Dunleavy<\/a> of the New York Post. “When you get quality play at that position \u2014 and what that looks like can look a lot different depending on guys\u2019 skill set \u2014 it just leads to so many avenues to your team having a chance to win different types of games.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n It’s not surprising that O’Connell spoke carefully about a competition that is set to resume when training camps open later this month. While one report<\/a> indicated that neither Murray nor\u00a0<\/span>McCarthy “performed drastically better than the other” during\u00a0<\/span>springtime workouts open to media members, a subsequent story claimed<\/a> that “Murray remains the favorite to win the starting job in training camp.”\u00a0<\/p>\n The Vikings are scheduled to open the preseason with a matchup at the New York Giants<\/a> on Aug. 15. Assuming O’Connell plans to hold a legitimate QB battle, either Murray or McCarthy should get the start against the Giants, while the other should then get the nod for Minnesota’s home game versus the Baltimore Ravens<\/a> on Aug. 22.\u00a0<\/p>\n Back in June, O’Connell said<\/a> that “to give an actual date” for a QB1 decision “would be not necessarily accurate from a portrayal of how we see it.” In short, it sounds like there is a chance that both Murray and McCarthy could take meaningful snaps when the Vikings wrap the preseason up with a game at the Denver Broncos<\/a> on Aug. 28.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nKevin O\u2019Connell speaks carefully about Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy competition<\/h2>\n
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