Kyler Murray's free agency destination appears locked. Other teams' QB moves clear a path for a potential Minnesota Vikings acquisition.
All signs are pointing in one direction for the quarterback position in Minnesota. Kyler Murray will almost certainly be the top choice for the Vikings and the feeling appears to be mutual.
As quarterback deals toppled over like dominoes in succession, it became abundantly clear where teams believe Murray is headed. They appear to have indicated they are hedging to make sure they get a quality quarterback of their own.
Consider the Vikings proposed top competition for Murray. The Miami Dolphins made a quick decision to sign former Green Bay backup Malik Willis to replace Tua Tagovailoa indicating they were moving on from their pursuit of Murray, or at least they did not want to be left with a lesser option.
The Atlanta Falcons followed suit signing former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who came to stardom in the Falcons' home stadium in the 2017-18 national championship game as a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Signing Tagovailoa to the smaller deal does not preclude the team from targeting Murray. Certainly, the Falcons are known for making more quarterback additions than seem necessary after drafting Michael Penix Jr. following a massive contract offer to Kirk Cousins. Nevertheless, it wouldn't make a ton of sense to have Murray, Tagovailoa and Penix in the same quarterback room unless the team had lost confidence in Michael Penix Jr. completely.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) yells at the line of scrimmage Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.The Indianapolis Colts were reportedly one of the teams Murray had respect for heading into free agency. That is, until they gave a franchise tag to Daniel Jones to return for another season. The move probably took the Colts out of the equation as well.
Then there was the New York Jets' quarterback addition. The Jets went out and signing Geno Smith all but taking them out of the Murray sweepstakes unless they want a quarterback battle of their own. Presumably, they will not, though that is not a guarantee.
The early signings leave a couple more openings in the game of musical chairs for this year's quarterback class. There's the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are waiting on a decision from Aaron Rodgers. And then there's the Los Angeles Rams who could try to sign Murray to be the replacement for Matthew Stafford when Stafford retires.
The above places are unlikely to sign Murray. And now it seems clear where the quarterback is heading. Murray may not be a lock to become a Minnesota Viking, but as of Wednesday morning it looks like the most likely option.