As defending NFC North champs, the Chicago Bears are preparing themselves to be the chased in the 2026 season after catching their rivals off guard with a breakout a season ago. This means keeping a close eye on division rivals and gauging just how big a threat each of Chicago's trio of rivals might be. While the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions still deserve respect, there is at least one rival fans should already be counting out when it comes to competing within the division.
It seems the Minnesota Vikings are refusing to give up on J.J. McCarthy, with a report from NBC Sports' Mike Florio, making it clear the Chicago rival plans to have a real competition between McCarthy and Kyler Murray. For Bears fans, this is great news with the franchise welcoming the chance to beat up on McCarthy and hoping the underwhelming starter finds a way into the 2026 lineup.
However, even if it is Murray who wins the starting job, neither quarterback is inspiring much fear from the Bears. In a division with Caleb Williams, Jordan Love, and Jared Goff, there is no debating that the Vikings are a very distant fourth when it comes to ranking the division's starting quarterbacks. This simply serves as a reminder of this fact and should lend itself to the rest of the division continuing to overlook the NFC North's obvious basement dweller.
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Having a competition between McCarthy and Murray speaks to the desperation of a team who sat and watched their former quarterback win a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. Sam Darnold is now a champion, something the Vikings are yet to achieve, and are nowhere close to being considered a viable contender in the 2026 season.
Chicago selfishly can't help but sit back and enjoy watching their rival's struggles and the uncertainty at the quarterback position. Not only does it give the team a great appreciation for Caleb Williams, but it hands the division picture just a bit more clarity.
If there was any thought that the Vikings could be a threat or a competitive NFC North team, this report should quell that notion. A franchise with serious expectations isn't going to allow McCarthy to be anywhere near the starting job after the dumpster fire that was the 2025 season.
Bringing back the third-year quarterback and giving him a chance to start speaks to an unserious team that Chicago has zero reason to fear. Even if it is Murray that ultimately wins the job, it is clear that Minnesota isn't a threat in a division that will go through Chicago in the 2026 season.
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