Jalen Nailor Thinks J.J. McCarthy Can Win the QB Competition Over Kyler Murray

Jalen Nailor, after leaving the Vikings for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, believes Kyler Murray's presence in Minnesota will bring the best in J.J. McCarthy.

"He can be the guy for sure," Nailor said on Up and Adams with Kay Adams when asked if McCarthy can still be the guy in Minnesota. "I just feel like it's a matter of him just still getting those reps in games and building on what he did this past year."

McCarthy faced increased scrutiny throughout the 2025 season for up-and-down play. Following the season, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and then-general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made clear their intention to bring in a veteran quarterback to provide competition at the QB spot. Minnesota ended up signing Murray to a one-year, $1.3 million deal last week.

After the return of Carson Wentz on Thursday, speculation about McCarthy's place on the depth chart ramped up, as did the debate about his future in the organization.

"Just try to have a clean, healthy season. If he has a clean, healthy season, I think he'll be fine. He has all the things," continued Nailor.

When asked how he thinks Murray's presence will impact McCarthy, Nailor said that the former Michigan QB is the "ultimate competitor."

"It's going to be a battle. I can tell you that," said Nailor. "It's going to be a great QB battle. I don't know who's going to come out on top. I'm probably rocking with my guy J.J., but you never know. It's going to bring the best out of both of them. Just to have that chip on their shoulder, to go out there and perform like their lives depend on it."

Nailor will be one of many watching the Vikings' QB drama play out from the outside. After four seasons in Minnesota, the 27-year-old receiver signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Raiders. He joins a Raiders squad in a rebuilding phase that looks set to use the No. 1 overall pick in the draft on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Minnesota selected Nailor in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. During his first two seasons, Nailor struggled with injuries. It wasn't until his third year that he was able to consistently stay on the field. During his final two seasons in Minnesota, Nailor caught 57 passes for 858 yards and 10 touchdowns. Nicknamed "Speedy," Nailor flashed his trademark speed to get open and be a viable third receiving option.

Nailor credited O'Connell with building his confidence, despite his early injury struggles.

"Just the confidence that he instilled in me from the day I first got there," Nailor said, crediting his former coach. "I know my first year, he was telling me, 'It's OK to make mistakes, but just keep being a ball player, keep trusting the process.' It was a pretty tough process those first two years, but as I was starting to stay healthy on the field, just kind of getting a rhythm, getting my confidence up there, he was just building that confidence from day one, and it never stopped, even to this day."

Nailor expressed excitement about his next chapter in Las Vegas, but also noted his love for the Vikings and their fans.

"It's all love from me to the Vikings," said Nailor. "I wish I could still be in the purple and gold, but at the end of the day it's business and you've got to do what's best for myself and the situation that plays its hand. So, it's all love. I'm a Viking for life, for sure. Maybe I could come back one day."