The Minnesota Vikings will start Carson Wentz against the Chicago Bears on Sunday after ruling out Kyler Murray with the concussion he suffered in the season opener.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed Friday that Murray will not play in the Week 2 NFC North matchup at Soldier Field. Wentz will make the start, while J.J. McCarthy will serve as the backup. The decision closes the question that had remained open through the week as Murray progressed through the NFL concussion protocol but was limited in practice.
It is a meaningful change from FSN’s earlier coverage of Murray’s limited participation and uncertain Week 2 status. At that point, Minnesota was still evaluating whether he could clear the protocol in time. By Friday, the Vikings had made the call to sit him and give Wentz the full start.
Carson Wentz gets the Week 2 start after finishing the opener
Wentz already had to take over for Murray in Week 1 after the starter exited early against Green Bay. According to NFL.com, Wentz completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns while helping Minnesota rally to a 39-22 victory.
That performance gives the Vikings more certainty than most teams would have when turning to a backup on short notice. Wentz has extensive starting experience, and Minnesota has already seen him operate the offense successfully in a game that changed quickly after Murray was injured.
The task is different this week. Instead of entering after the game plan had been built around Murray, Wentz has had the practice week to prepare as the likely alternative if Murray could not clear the protocol. O’Connell said Friday that Wentz had a strong week of work and was ready to go.
Murray made progress but did not clear the protocol in time
Murray suffered the concussion during a first-quarter scramble against Green Bay and left the game for evaluation. He spent this week progressing through the league’s return-to-participation process and was limited in practice.
O’Connell said Friday that Murray had made substantial progress and that the Vikings anticipate he could clear the protocol early next week. That does not guarantee a Week 3 return, but it gives Minnesota a more encouraging outlook than it had immediately after the hit.
The key distinction is that the Vikings are not simply making a depth-chart choice. Murray remains in the concussion protocol, and his Week 2 absence reflects the medical clearance process rather than a performance decision.
J.J. McCarthy remains the backup
McCarthy will dress behind Wentz rather than move directly into the starting role. That continues the quarterback order Minnesota established before the season, with Murray as QB1, Wentz as the primary veteran backup and McCarthy developing behind them.
FSN examined that broader quarterback structure earlier this month in its analysis of McCarthy’s move to the No. 3 role behind Murray and Wentz. Murray’s injury has created an early test of that plan, and for Week 2 the Vikings are sticking with the veteran backup who already delivered meaningful snaps in the opener.
Minnesota is dealing with more than one offensive absence
Murray is not the only notable player unavailable for the trip to Chicago. The Vikings also ruled out wide receiver Jauan Jennings for personal reasons, while right tackle Brian O’Neill was listed as questionable with a knee injury on the final injury report.
Minnesota is also working around the loss of running back Jordan Mason, who was placed on injured reserve after thumb surgery. FSN reported the Vikings added DeeJay Dallas and Jerome Ford after Mason went to IR, giving the offense another moving piece to manage as it prepares for Chicago.
That combination makes Wentz’s experience particularly valuable. The Vikings may have to adjust protection, personnel groupings and how aggressively they ask the offense to attack downfield depending on O’Neill’s availability and how the running-back rotation settles.
Why the Bears matchup matters
Minnesota and Chicago both enter the weekend 1-0, making Sunday’s game an early divisional opportunity even though it is only Week 2. The Bears opened the season with a 59-point performance against Carolina, so the Vikings cannot assume a conservative offensive approach will be enough simply because Wentz is starting.
The challenge for Minnesota is to preserve the parts of the offense that worked after Wentz entered against Green Bay without forcing him to recreate Murray’s mobility or improvisational style. Wentz’s best path is likely to come through timing, distribution and taking advantage of the experienced skill players around him.
The Vikings built their 2026 quarterback room to avoid having one injury derail the offense. Sunday’s game is the first real test of whether that depth can hold up for a full start.
What comes next for Murray
Murray’s next checkpoint is clearing the concussion protocol and returning to unrestricted football activity. O’Connell’s expectation that he could complete that process early next week is encouraging, but Minnesota will still have to see how he responds before turning attention to Week 3.
For now, the Week 2 decision is final: Wentz starts against Chicago, McCarthy backs him up, and Murray gets another week to recover rather than rushing the process.
Sources
- Minnesota Vikings: Final Week 2 injury report vs. Bears (September 18, 2026)
- NFL.com: Kyler Murray out vs. Bears; Carson Wentz to start (September 18, 2026)
- Reuters: Vikings to start Carson Wentz with Kyler Murray out (September 18, 2026)