Justin Jefferson said Monday he is looking for “big, exciting plays” if Kyler Murray ends up leading the Vikings’ quarterback room, while also welcoming the pressure that Murray’s arrival could put on J.J. McCarthy. The star receiver spoke publicly for the first time about Minnesota’s reshaped group of passers, which also includes Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer.
Jefferson said he is “definitely looking forward” to Murray’s speed, quickness and arm strength, and added that bringing in that kind of talent gives the room “a little spark.” Murray signed a one-year contract on March 13, and many around the NFL expect him to emerge as the Vikings’ starter.
That matters because Jefferson has already spent much of the offseason working with McCarthy, the No. 10 pick of the 2024 draft, after pledging at the end of last season to help him through the spring. The two have met multiple times over the past few months, most of those sessions in Minnesota, and Jefferson said some of the work took place at a designated location. He said McCarthy looks “a lot more confident” about where he will be and how fast he will get there.
McCarthy’s first season was rocky, and the Vikings have kept the competition open by design. Coach Kevin O’Connell has said there is no reason to talk about depth charts at any position during the offseason, leaving the starting job unsettled as training camp approaches.
That leaves Jefferson in the middle of a room that can still tilt in more than one direction. He sounded encouraged by the added competition, saying McCarthy has to step it up with a player like Murray in the mix, and warning that now is the time for the young quarterback to seize the job rather than fall back into a backup role. For Minnesota, the next phase is not about public declarations. It is about which quarterback can turn that open race into a clear answer.
