Vikings eye Kyler Murray as a potential fit. An insider reveals the competition for the dynamic quarterback and what he brings to Minnesota's offense.
You have heard us talk about it ad nauseam. It's a secret no longer. The Minnesota Vikings could be a potential fit for free agent quarterback Kyler Murray, and it appears there is interest on Murray's side.
Vikings fans, of course, will take that and run with it, as they should. The possibility of fixing the Minnesota quarterback room, which the move very likely could do, is good reason to get excited about the next few months for the Vikings.
That said, Murray is no longer a member of the Arizona Cardinals after the team released him earlier this week. For that reason, you can count on a few other teams entering the Murray sweepstakes.
What does Murray bring to the table? For starters, he's a borderline 4,000-yard passer in every season in which he plays at least 14 games. And while he does have an injury history, he has thrown for at least 3,700 yards in all four seasons in which he started 14 contests.
Because the injury history is more of a footnote than what should be a persistent problem moving forward, there will be other teams interested in signing the quarterback.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Kyle Terada-Imagn ImagesNFL.com writer Kevin Patra noted the Vikings as top contenders to sign Murray. Patra wrote the following.
"The price would be right for Minnesota, which must sign a veteran presence to push -- or take the job from -- J.J. McCarthy. Adding a signal-caller with 87 career starts who is still just 28 and brings dynamic playmaking to Kevin O'Connell's offense would be ideal.
KOC already helped rehab Sam Darnold's career and could do similar with Murray, who isn't nearly as far down the discarded pile as the former was when he got to Minnesota. Murray's completion percentage and ability to get the ball downfield would be immediate upgrades over McCarthy's scattershot play. Justin Jefferson would give Murray a clear-cut No. 1 to force-feed, like the quarterback did in the desert with DeAndre Hopkins."
Patra, however, also noted a handful of teams that could try to add Murray. The Jets and Falcons, who have received a good amount of buzz to add Murray, if not as much as the Vikings have their own quarterback issues to settle. Then there's the Miami Dolphins who are likely in the same boat due to uncertainty about Tua Tagovailoa.
Patra also lists the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams as options for Murray. Both teams, should Aaron Rodgers return to Pittsburgh and Matthew Stafford run it back with Los Angeles, would be making a move for 2027 and beyond perhaps more than 2026.
Of all the teams above, it can be argued the Vikings are the most desperate for an impact quarterback addition. Minnesota will look to make a move that brings them back into contention next season.