00:00Kevin O'Connell here on the early line says that the quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy
00:06will go into training camp saying that I want to see these guys in a very unique and difficult circumstance
00:13elevate their games to help the Vikings.
00:16First, let's hear from Wes Phillips, the OC of the Vikings, talking about J.J. McCarthy, who will battle it
00:23out with Kyler Murray.
00:25I stood out to you about J.J.'s growth.
00:28It's just it's just been a continuous upward arrow for him.
00:32And, you know, it's fun. It is fun to see guys come back in shape.
00:40You know, you know, guys have been working and then at certain positions where you just notice that guys have
00:47been working from a skill and fundamental standpoint as well on the things that have been talked about throughout throughout
00:54a season.
00:54And they come back and say, oh, that looks a little better.
00:57Oh, look at him. I can tell he's been working on that, been very intentional in the offseason on his
01:03own when nobody's watching.
01:05So there's several things with J.J. that we noticed right off the bat that that were improvements from things
01:13that he had done or continuing,
01:14continuing to grow on some of those techniques and fundamentals.
01:20Yeah, I mean, without getting into specifics, I mean, you guys are going to dig into every side eye look
01:28or anything you can possibly.
01:30And I totally understand that. But but we have a good good culture here.
01:36These guys are are competing and they're up for the challenge.
01:42Yeah, I don't think there's any doubt here that we're going to have a story to cover in training camp,
01:47Joe.
01:48I don't know, though. I tend to think that this is one of those stories where if you have two
01:52quarterbacks, do you really have one?
01:54You know, I just don't know that I'm confident in either of these guys.
01:59But look, O'Connell has been known for getting quarterbacks right.
02:03Do you think that he has one out of two here?
02:07I it's so interesting because you have one guy in, you know, in Murray that is trying to resurrect his
02:14his career and we don't know if that's possible.
02:17And then you got a young guy that, you know, is really motivated, it sounds like, to prove the whole
02:23world wrong.
02:24So, you know, if O'Connell is as good as we think he is, if he is a quarterback whisperer,
02:30I would bet that one of those two guys is going to come out of this a starting quarterback and
02:36better off for it.
02:37I don't know who it's going to be, but I do think this kind of competition and motivation for both
02:43these guys is going to separate the men from the boys.
02:46And the big question to me has always been, does Kyla Murray want to play football?
02:50Does he, you know, because it looks like it looks like, you know, the other guy does in a big,
02:57big way.
02:58So let's see, may the best man win.
03:00That's all.
03:02Justin Jefferson also spoke with the media yesterday and weighed in on his growth as a professional McCarthy.
03:10What you've seen from JJ this spring compared to last year, where have you seen him change or where have
03:16you seen him develop?
03:17Yeah, I've seen him change a lot, which is normal.
03:19You know, being a young quarterback in this league and having a year under his belt, you know, you get
03:24to learn a couple of things.
03:25You get to learn how to be, you know, a professional, how to really, you know, take care of your
03:31body, take care of your arm, you know, and obviously take care of your mind.
03:35So I feel like he's definitely gotten a little bit more smarter into reading the different coverages, understanding the different
03:43throws that he's making.
03:44Everything doesn't have to be 100 miles per hour, you know, just some throws, you know, can put a little
03:49touch on it and get it to the spot.
03:51So I feel like that is, you know, one of his most impactful improvements that he has made.
03:58And it's just about continue to work with him, continue to understand, you know, JJ and understand K1 as well.
04:05They are two different guys and they are two different quarterbacks.
04:08They both throw differently.
04:10They both have a different mindset.
04:11So it's just all about, you know, just continue to work with them, continue to, you know, have have the
04:18work outside of this building.
04:19And during the season, during the summertime, get with them and make sure without them.
04:25Justin Jefferson had such a tough season last year, Joe, and I don't think he cares who the quarterback is.
04:31He just wants the ball.
04:35Yes, exactly.
04:36Correct.
04:36That's all he wants.
04:37He's like any receiver, right?
04:38Isn't that what it's all about?
04:40Just, you know, somebody competent, throw me the ball and, and I'll be good to go win or lose.
04:44You know, feels like we're going to get that in New England as well.
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