Darren Hails reviews the Vikings’ week from Thursday, June 4 to Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Mandatory minicamp brought more than just quarterback rumours. We saw progress in the run game, updates on Brian O’Neill’s contract and a defense getting ready for life without Harrison Smith.

All spring, the Vikings’ quarterback competition has meant different things to different people.

If you thought Kyler Murray was brought in to start, every good thing said about him seemed to confirm it. If you believed J. J. McCarthy still had a real shot, every mention of split reps backed that up. The same practice clips seemed to support both sides, which kept fans busy online, but didn’t really help figure out who’ll face Green Bay in Week 1.

Mandatory minicamp didn’t give us a winner. It did, however, make the competition real.

Both Murray and McCarthy took snaps with the first-team offense. McCarthy looked sharper on the first day during the passing drills reporters could see. Murray made some mistakes, talked about how tough it is to learn the offense while splitting reps and then saw his honest answer get spun into a complaint by lunchtime. On Wednesday, the drills focused more on specific situations, which made it harder to compare the two, but both quarterbacks made good red-zone throws and the defense responded well.

We’re not much closer to naming a starter, but we do understand the situation better. Kevin O’Connell can keep the competition going for now, but he can’t get two quarterbacks ready to start forever.

Split reps have finally created a real problem

The first day of minicamp was the first public practice this spring that offered enough detail to move beyond vague reports about who looked comfortable.

Murray opened one 7-on-7 period with the first group, while McCarthy later handled the first-team two-minute work. Both moved their units into Will Reichard’s range. In another passing period, McCarthy completed all seven of his attempts, including a well-placed ball to Tai Felton, while Murray threw two interceptions on consecutive plays. One appeared to involve a communication issue with Gavin Bartholomew; the other sailed over Jauan Jennings and into Byron Murphy Jr.’s hands.

McCarthy had a good day, while Murray struggled more. Still, it’s important to remember that a June 7-on-7 session doesn’t decide the whole season.

Wednesday made the point again from a different angle. The quarterbacks continued to share meaningful work in a red-zone practice. Murphy denied McCarthy on a throw to Josh Oliver and later intercepted Murray when he tried to find Felton across the back of the end zone, although the offense disputed whether the catch was clean. Chuck Demmings also broke up a Murray touchdown attempt, while McCarthy had to escape what would probably have been a coverage sack before finding Felton.

None of these plays decide who will be the starting quarterback, but they do show why the competition can’t stay completely even as camp goes on.

McCarthy knows the playbook, the reads and his teammates. Murray has much more NFL experience, but he’s learning O’Connell’s offense without getting the full starter workload he would usually expect. Every rep one quarterback gets helps coaches evaluate, but it also slows down the other’s preparation.

O’Connell said the staff has a plan for handling the competition once training camp starts, but he also admitted there isn’t unlimited time. That answer works for June, but by August, they’ll need to make a choice.

Murray’s answer was honest, not frightening

Kyler Murray said the hardest part is learning a new offense while splitting reps. Some people quickly took that as a sign of frustration, blame or trouble ahead.

I didn’t hear it that way.

He was just describing the usual trade-off in any quarterback competition. Someone who’s always been the starter now has to learn new terms, new footwork, new timing and new receivers, all while only getting part of the practice reps. More reps would help him, but they would help McCarthy too.

What makes things harder for Murray is that the Vikings brought him in to be a steady option, not another long-term project. He’ll get some time to adjust, but eventually, the veteran favourite needs to play like one.

Brian O’Neill offered a calmer view from inside the huddle. He described Murray as level-headed, acting like the same person whether the play was installed weeks ago or the previous day. Wes Phillips also said Murray has been putting in work away from the building to make up for the reps he’s not getting.

Murray had a tough practice in public. McCarthy did better that day. The best response now is to focus on football, not to act like someone has lost the locker room before the pads are even on.

McCarthy stopped the trade story feeding itself

McCarthy also helped himself away from the practice field.

When asked about his future, he said he loves the organization, believes he can succeed in the system and wants to stay in Minnesota. He also said he can’t control how reps are split, so he is just focusing on the next one.

It didn’t win him the starting job, but it did take away the main reason for trade rumours.

There was never much sense in selling McCarthy cheaply before seeing whether his third year in the offense produced a real jump. Phillips said his development has continued upward, and the coaches could see improvements in the techniques he’d worked on away from the building. Aaron Jones also spoke about McCarthy appearing more comfortable getting players aligned and operating the huddle.

That doesn’t negate his accuracy and turnover issues from 2025, but it does give Minnesota a reason to keep evaluating rather than hitting the panic button, since having two quarterbacks makes the depth chart look messy.

McCarthy’s way back to the starting job is clear now. He needs to show his knowledge of the system on the field, keep the offense organised and make O’Connell choose between experience now and value for the future. He did enough this week to stay in the mix.

The run game promise has more behind it this time

Every Vikings offseason comes with a promise to improve the run game. I’m as guilty as anyone of believing it, visualising a balanced offense and then watching O’Connell call another pass when the defense knows what’s coming.

This year, though, there seems to be more substance behind that promise.

Frank Smith has joined the staff with a major role in shaping the offense. Keith Carter is teaching the offensive line to play wide zone with more detail and more aggression off the ball. Phillips admitted the technique differs from how the scheme has been taught in Minnesota before, and the minicamp drills showed the linemen working combination blocks, second-level movement and the communication needed to pass off twists.

The personnel fit the idea as well. Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason can run outside zone. Jennings gives the receivers another willing and physical blocker. Max Bredeson is being developed as the fullback who has to understand far more than simply finding somebody to hit. T. J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver can be used together without telling the defense whether the next play is a run or a pass.

Jones explained that calling outside zone isn’t enough if the runner arrives at the line without clarity about how the blocks should develop. Smith’s value, in his view, is helping every player understand the whole picture rather than just his own assignment.

We won’t know if any of this works until defenders can actually tackle. Still, the Vikings are doing more than just talking about running the ball better. They have new coaches, more detailed teaching and players who fit the physical style. That’s a real effort.

O’Neill is Teasley’s first expensive judgement

Brian O’Neill showed up for mandatory minicamp and made it clear he wants to stay with the Vikings, but his contract is now one of the first big decisions for Nolan Teasley.

O’Neill is entering the final year of the five-year deal he signed in 2021 and is seeking an extension. The case for keeping him is easy to understand. He’s a two-time Pro Bowler, a captain, one of the few settled pieces on the line and still a very good right tackle. For an offense trying to judge two quarterbacks fairly, removing a proven protector would be an odd way to make life simpler.

The hesitation isn’t disrespect. O’Neill turns 31 in September, has dealt with lower-body injuries and plays on a line where Christian Darrisaw already carries a major contract. The Vikings also drafted Caleb Tiernan and paid Ryan Van Demark to improve the tackle succession plan.

This is less about deciding between extending O’Neill or moving on right away, and more about working out the right length and protection in a new deal. A shorter contract that rewards him now, keeps a leader on the team, and gives Tiernan time to develop makes sense. Paying only for O’Neill’s past performance doesn’t.

Teasley’s first press conference focused on process. Deciding on O’Neill will show what the process really values: current performance, age, injury risk, leadership, depth at the position and the cost of finding a replacement. There is no simple answer for all of that.

The defense is already practising life without Smith

Harrison Smith still hasn’t said if he’ll return, and his decision could take until training camp or even the preseason. The defense can’t just wait and hope he comes back.

Joshua Metellus is already taking on more of the communication and leadership. He said he’d love Smith to return, but he’s trying to be a friend rather than pressure him into a decision. On the field, Metellus’ job remains wonderfully difficult to describe because Brian Flores can still move him between safety, the slot, the box and the line of scrimmage, depending on who else earns a role.

The younger safeties are getting their chance amid that uncertainty. Metellus praised third-round pick Jakobe Thomas for learning the system quickly and putting in extra meeting time. Jacob Thomas appeared in a big-nickel group with several starters, while Jake Golday received useful work with Blake Cashman unavailable.

Smith’s absence is no longer just about waiting for retirement. It’s giving others more practice reps, leadership roles and chances to try new packages. If Smith does come back, Flores gets another smart veteran. But if not, the Vikings need the summer work to pay off with more than just hopeful words.

A few more Scroll notes

Byron Murphy Jr. had a great first two days of minicamp, making interceptions on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and stopping McCarthy’s red-zone throw to Oliver. The Vikings need their cornerbacks to be more reliable this year and Murphy looked like the one setting the example.

Walter Rouse got some work at guard during offensive line drills, even though he’s only played tackle in the NFL. With Blake Brandel now leading at center, the team no longer has the luxury of Brandel covering almost every line spot. Minnesota is seeing if several players together can replace that flexibility.

Aaron Jones plans to train in Miami with Demond Claiborne for part of the summer. Jones praised the rookie’s quickness and even compared his speed to Jahmyr Gibbs. Let’s wait until Claiborne takes an NFL handoff before making big comparisons, but learning from Jones is a great start.

James Pierre doesn’t seem like just another backup corner after Flores said he’d wanted him for a while. If Pierre can cover bigger outside receivers, Murphy will have more freedom to move around and Flores can disguise the secondary more easily.

The Scroll for this week

The Vikings started minicamp with a quarterback debate and ended the first two days with a real quarterback problem, but I mean that in a good way.

There are two real candidates getting first-team reps. McCarthy’s knowledge of the system is becoming more obvious. Murray’s experience still makes him the favourite, but learning the offense is tough when the reps are split. O’Connell has the competition he wanted; now he needs to know when it has given him enough answers.

Elsewhere, the offense is starting to show what its new run game really looks like, O’Neill has given Teasley a tough contract decision, and the defense is spreading out Smith’s duties before knowing if he’ll return.

That’s a better place to be than we were a week ago. There’s still a great deal to figure out, but at least the questions now come from the practice field instead of trade rumours.