Kevin O'Connell May Have Tipped His QB Plan At the Owners Meetings

Kevin O'Connell and the Minnesota Vikings are working hard to avoid naming a starting quarterback anytime soon. KOC

The Vikings brought back Carson Wentz and added Kyler Murray in free agency to battle it out with J.J. McCarthy for QB1. But before O’Connell walks into the meeting room and tosses a broken pool cue on the floor in front of the quarterback hopefuls, he may have already unintentionally shown his hand in Arizona.

It’s clear the Minnesota staff is excited about Kyler Murray's potential despite some early concerns about scheme fit. Kevin O'Connell was quick to point out that Murray is much more than a scrambler and has all the tools to succeed in his offense.

"We all recognize some of the highlight-reel ability that he has, and Kyler Murray has always had that level of talent,” said O’Connell. “But I think sometimes what we don't recognize is the third-and-seven right before the huge scramble play on the earned first down but that third-and-seven where he hits [Trey] McBride away from some tight coverage on routes that are maybe similar to some of the things we'll do, or watching him play with really, really good technique and fundamentals either in the dropback game."

People have noted that O'Connell's quarterbacks are tall, under-center, rhythm passers. It’s also been noted that Murray is a short, shotgun, scrambling quarterback. So it’s easy to wonder how the Vikings might adjust to make things work with a talent like Murray. Still, O’Connell emphasized that there’s more overlap with his game than people may give credit.

"The play-action game can be done a lot of different ways – offset, gun, pistol, and under center," O'Connell added. "He's pretty dynamic in the keeper game, the movement game obviously, with his natural athleticism. I see a lot of ways that we'll be able to continue the evolution and evolve our offense here in Year 5."

So, although Murray may not be the usual suspect for an O’Connell quarterback, there’s no shortage of confidence from the head coach that they’ll make this thing work. The Arizona Cardinals paid a pretty penny just for Murray not to be on their roster, but there’s a reason he was a former first-overall pick.

However, while his praise for Murray was plentiful, O’Connell seemed much less effusive towards McCarthy.

"He spent his time out in California," said O’Connell. "He has since come back to Minnesota. He's been in the building working out downstairs with the strength guys.”

Aside from the detailed geographical update, the initial talk on the incumbent quarterback was rather uninspiring. Of course, O’Connell has talked plenty about McCarthy in the past, and Murray is the new kid on the block, so there is reason not to rehash the same points he’s already made before. But even as O’Connell continued, it’s obvious that the Vikings want and need McCarthy to take steps — even leaps — forward.

"I think J.J.'s had a good offseason. I think he has perspective now,” O’Connell continued. “He knows what it's felt like to go in there and do some things that are really high level. Now, it's just about consistency. It's about being in a competitive situation, not necessarily any other reason [than to] continue the arc of trying to become the best player he can possibly become. I think he's going to have a really good offseason, and I think it's going to be a very competitive situation."

If you were playing Kevin O'Connell B-I-N-G-O at home, the phrase “competitive situation” came up plenty. But the competition certainly feels more manufactured than legitimate, and, despite what O’Connell and the Vikings may say, McCarthy feels like he’s competing on Murray’s terms.

The Vikings may not name the starter until training camp or even the preseason. Still, O’Connell has already seemed to hint that they are changing the offense to fit Murray better. And why wouldn’t they? To bring Murray in and shove him into an offense that doesn’t suit him would be foolish, but it also makes the hill that much steeper for McCarthy. Ultimately, Minnesota can talk all it wants about an open competition, but its actions say something completely different.

And after some wild speculation that the Vikings may even add Carson Wentz into the QB1 mix, O’Connell put most of those rumors to bed.

"We wanted to be patient and allow Carson to kind of see what opportunities may be out there," O'Connell said. "He loved being in Minnesota. He loves our fanbase. He loved getting to wear the purple and gold. And I know for some people it might be, 'Why would Carson do that?' I think some people may be discounting the fact that he's really enjoyed his time, not only being around Josh [McCown] and his teammates, but just being a Minnesota Viking.”

Signing Wentz in March amidst reports that teams like the New York Jets might have interest as their QB2 behind Geno Smith fueled takes that he was promised some sort of role even ahead of McCarthy. It turns out that Wentz seems fine to ride out his career with the hometown team and to provide some depth for a team that has started eight different quarterbacks over the past three years.

We’re no closer to getting an official announcement on the starter, but Kevin O'Connell did little to douse the flames of a Kyler Murray runaway victory. Maybe he’s keeping his cards close to the vest, but K1 didn’t come to Minnesota to play school, and the Vikings aren’t about to lose their Sam Darnold a second time.