The NFC North might be either the most or second-most competitive division in the National Football League. There’s no margin for error, and there’s no such thing as a minor edge or advantage against any of the divisional rivals.
That’s why Green Bay Packers fans will always find joy in watching the Minnesota Vikings shoot themselves in the foot. Every time it seems they’re ready to break out, they can’t seem to get out of their own way.
That was the case again with their quarterback situation. This team went from having two starting-caliber guys — and maybe even Aaron Rodgers — to rolling with J.J. McCarthy. Now, they don’t even know how to get out of the mess they created.
The Packers are loving the latest Vikings QB drama
In a recent appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t seem to provide much clarity on the team’s quarterback competition. If anything, that decision might go down to the wire:
“I’m not really familiar with a closed competition, “ O’Connell admitted. “Here’s what I would say–the goal going into this offseason was elevating the quarterback position. The best way to achieve that is to have a daily attempt of guys to push each other. Not just always need the outside noise or what the narratives may be…Kyler has come in and done a great job, J.J. has benefited from it, and he had a great spring.”
The mere fact that Kyler Murray hasn’t been able to beat McCarthy should be concerning enough. He’s a former No. 1 pick who was often held back by his former team, and given how poorly McCarthy performed, most people would’ve assumed this competition would be done by now.
McCarthy didn’t seem very welcoming when the Vikings signed him, and he made it clear he was there to compete, not to learn from another veteran. He might feel that way, but he could definitely use some pointers.
The Vikings clearly weren’t all in alignment when they drafted McCarthy. Now that former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is no longer in the building, it’s become painfully evident that the coaching staff isn’t as confident and bullish on him.
Now, this team is looking at multiple alternatives. Murray will most likely win the starting quarterback job, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be good enough to lead them to the playoffs. That’s essentially a waste of a season for a Super Bowl-hopeful team.
That will also raise doubts about McCarthy’s future with the organization. Will he be okay with being a backup? If not, they’ll have no choice but to cut their losses and trade him for pennies on the dollar just to start over and hit the drawing board to find their franchise quarterback.
As things stand now, it looks like the Vikings have walked themselves into a can’t-win situation. And with the Packers looking to get back to the mountaintop in the NFC North, they can only hope things are as bad as they look right now.
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