​Could Minnesota’s new quarterback Kyler Murray be asking for a trade this year? That idea is gaining some traction from a recent columnist. Tyler Forness of A-to-Z Sports explored the Vikings’ unusual quarterback setup, suggesting Minnesota could keep Carson Wentz as the backup while the loser of the Kyler Murray–J.J. McCarthy competition ends up shifting to the third-team offense. Here’s a summary of what Forness proposed.
In Forness’s scenario, the quarterback room isn’t defined by who starts so much as what happens after the starter is chosen. He envisions Wentz serving as the QB2 regardless of whether Murray or McCarthy wins the top spot. The player who loses that competition could find himself off the roster entirely. If Murray doesn’t win the job, a trade request would be a likely outcome, given that he’s playing for what could be his final major contract. For McCarthy, losing the competition would essentially extinguish his long-term prospects in Minnesota. In this plan, Max Brosmer would step in as the developmental QB3 option.
The arrangement appears deliberate. By keeping Wentz as the backup rather than the losing candidate, the Vikings would remove the pressure of a starter constantly looking over his shoulder. This dynamic, Forness notes, helped Sam Darnold succeed in 2024, when he wasn’t pressured by a rival starter breathing down his neck, a factor that can boost confidence and performance. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has emphasized the goal of giving a starting quarterback a long runway to succeed, and Forness’s scenario aligns with that philosophy.
It’s worth noting that Murray requesting a trade in this setup isn’t far-fetched, but the likelihood of the scenario unfolding as described seems uncertain. For McCarthy to win the starting job would require clear evidence of substantial improvement since the 2025 season, and projecting that level of progress from a few months of offseason practices and three preseason games is difficult. The argument Forness makes—that Murray could end up as the starter or that McCarthy could become the developmental option—leans toward the probability that Murray remains the apparent favorite to start, with McCarthy in a supporting or developmental role.
Despite the noise from Vikings camp, it’s still a guessing game to determine how Minnesota will rank its quarterbacks as the season approaches. Even so, there would be a surprise if anyone other than Murray starts the season opener against the Green Bay Packers. The discussion, while speculative, reflects how teams sometimes design depth charts to balance long-term planning with immediate needs, and it underscores the possibility that Minnesota could pursue a trade if the situation evolves unfavorably for Murray.