Vikings Hall of Famer raises an underdiscussed point with Kyler Murray that could elevate Minnesota’s offense
When breaking down the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback competition, the little things will matter more than you might expect.
The quarterback competition the Minnesota Vikings are set to have between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray is going to be the biggest training camp storyline.
No matter who you talk to about it, you’ll hear different opinions, ranging from “Murray’s the better quarterback” to “It’s too early to give up on McCarthy.” Where both sides are consistent is with their conviction. With a resolution likely happening around the joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens on August 19th and 20th.
Cris Carter believes Kyler Murray offers something different
When you hear former players and analysts talk about the situation in Minnesota, there is one main theme: Murray has a lot to offer. Vikings Hall of Famer Cris Carter highlighted an underdiscussed reason why: his mobility.
“He’s got tremendous experience, but we all have to grow as players. If he continues to grow, he accepts KOC’s coaching and is able to do the things that I think that the Vikings can do, I think he definitely will be the starter, but he will bring an ingredient to the Vikings offense that we haven’t had in years, and that’s a guy to be able to run. And when you can break down the defense now, if you look at the top quarterbacks, every other one is a dual threat. When everything breaks down on third down, you have a guy that can get you a first down, and that’s what Kyler can do.”
The ability to run the ball is important. It’s not just about generating explosive runs, but rather about taking advantage of the defense during disadvantageous situations. Murray has shown the ability to do that.
Murray doesn’t just scramble to run; he scrambles to throw as well. Sam Darnold was fine in terms of mobility, as were McCarthy and Case Keenum in recent years. Murray is a different breed, showcasing an elite level of evasiveness. That is something that head coach Kevin O’Connell and Sean McVay’s style of offense has never seen, and that could be special.
