Murray has officially been ruled out ahead of Week 2, putting Carson Wentz in line to make his 100th career start against the Bears.
The Minnesota Vikings will officially turn to Carson Wentz at quarterback in Week 2.
Kyler Murray has been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the Chicago Bears as he continues to recover from the concussion he suffered in Minnesota’s season opener against the Green Bay Packers. After progressing through the NFL’s concussion protocol throughout the week, Murray ultimately will not be cleared in time to play.
That puts Wentz in line to make his first start of the 2026 season and his 100th career NFL start.
Wentz already has experience stepping into the starting role for Minnesota after taking over for Murray in the first quarter of the Vikings’ season opener. What followed was an impressive comeback performance, as Wentz helped Minnesota erase a 22-10 deficit and finish with a 39-22 victory over Green Bay.
The veteran quarterback completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns after replacing Murray. His ability to immediately settle into the offense gave the Vikings confidence that they could remain competitive despite losing their starting quarterback so early in the game.
Now, while Murray did practice in a limited capacity this week, Wentz is in line to lead the Vikings against the Bears.
That could make Sunday's matchup a different challenge than what he faced against Green Bay. Instead of being thrown into the game unexpectedly, Wentz has had the opportunity to take the majority of the first-team reps and prepare specifically for Chicago.
That preparation could be especially important with the Vikings entering the matchup without Murray and running back Jordan Mason, who was recently placed on injured reserve after undergoing surgery for a fractured thumb. Mason rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown in the season opener.
Still, Minnesota's offense has plenty of weapons for Wentz to work with.
Justin Jefferson caught two touchdown passes from Wentz during the comeback against Green Bay, while tight end T.J. Hockenson also found the end zone. Wentz's familiarity with the Vikings' offense and experience as a longtime starter should allow Minnesota to maintain much of its offensive structure despite Murray's absence.
The biggest question now is whether Wentz can replicate his success over four quarters.
His performance against Green Bay provided reason to believe that he can, but Sunday will give him a much larger sample size and a full game plan designed around him. Chicago also presents a different defensive challenge, meaning Minnesota will need Wentz to consistently move the football rather than simply manage the game.
Murray's absence is certainly significant for the Vikings, particularly after he was expected to lead the offense throughout the season and didn't even get through 11 plays.
But Wentz has already shown that he can step in and operate the offense effectively. Now, with Murray officially ruled out, he gets the opportunity to prove that performance was more than just a strong relief appearance.
For the Vikings, Week 2 will become an early test of their quarterback depth. Wentz has already helped deliver one comeback victory. Now he gets the chance to lead Minnesota from the opening snap.
