Adding a confident quarterback could catapult the Vikings into contention. Discover how a Kyler Murray-Justin Jefferson connection might unlock their Super Bowl aspirations.
The Minnesota Vikings received Super Bowl hype on Friday morning. The team is set to make a splash at quarterback, and one reporter thinks it could make all the difference.
Minnesota's quarterback search became a huge topic in Friday morning's addition of ESPN morning show, "Get Up." One analyst had high hopes for the team should they pull off a big move this offseason.
NFL reporter Dan Graziano was asked by co-host Mike Greenberg, "DeAndre Hopkins is fascinated by the idea of Kyler Murray going to the Vikings. You see he tweeted, 'K1 and (Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson) would be scary!' So, I'll ask you this: If Kyler Murray goes to the Vikings, that would make them Super Bowl contenders. Would that be an overreaction?"
Graziano did not mince words. He shared, "It's not (an overreaction), because if the Vikings get confident quarterback play, they're going to be in this mix. Two years ago, they won 14 games with Sam Darnold at quarterback. Last year they managed to win nine with pretty much nothing at quarterback, like, actively detrimental quarterback play. So, if they get decent quarterback play, the Vikings with Kevin O'Connell have shown us that they'll be a high-level contender."
Graziano's contention is contingent on a couple of things happening. The first is that the team gets confident quarterback play. The veteran NFL reporter contends that with decisive and seasoned signal caller Sam Darnold the team proved that simply having the quarterback position right puts them in contention in the NFC playoff race.
The NFL analyst gave a blunt review of the Vikings' quarterback woes in 2025, sharing that they won nine games with "pretty much nothing at quarterback." That may come off as unfair to last season's starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy and backup quarterback Carson Wentz who both made plays in their time at the position. However, McCarthy seldom threw for more than 200 yards and finished more games under 150 passing yards than a starter should.
We did see the Minnesota signal caller improve over the final few games of the season, but the questions over him as a long-term starter still remain.
Are the Vikings Super Bowl contenders with Kyler Murray at quarterback? If production is the issue in Minnesota, Murray answers that question. Things worked out well for Murray with DeAndre Hopkins. Throwing passes to Justin Jefferson likely only increases Murray's statistical potential.
The Vikings will look to make a deal that secures a proven starter in 2026.