Insiders link Minnesota to Murray after Arizona moves on. Is this competition for McCarthy — or a pivot?
Kyler Murray is one step closer to potentially becoming the next quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.
On Tuesday, the Arizona Cardinals announced they will release Murray, making him free to sign with anyone. For weeks, Murray has been a popular candidate for the Vikings to acquire. But with his release, many of the previous roadblocks have been removed.
Murray was still in the middle of a five-year, $250 million extension he signed in 2022, with cap hits of $52.66 million in 2026 and $43.53 million in 2027.
That meant that, on top of draft compensation, any team that traded for him would likely have to incur some of his previous deal. Now, the Cardinals have to eat the dead money, leaving the new team in the clear.
Several reporters noted the Vikings' interest in Murray the past several days. After front offices, coaching staffs, media members, and agents gathered in Indianapolis for the Scouting Combine, momentum around Murray’s market quickly built.
Among the most prominent voices who spoke of Minnesota's interest were ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter.
Fowler appeared on The Dan Patrick Show. He said Murray and Geno Smith are likely the most coveted veterans the Vikings are trying to sign.
"Minnesota, I know, is considering Kyler Murray," Fowler said. "He's one of their stronger considerations, I would say, along with Geno Smith. That's probably "tier one" for them."
When asked if J.J. McCarthy could be released, Fowler said no, but brought clarity to the upcoming quarterback competition.
"We've all been there, Dan," Fowler told Patrick after saying that he'd be surprised if McCarthy gets cut. "It's kind of like when you get broken up with, where somebody starts seeing other people.
"When they do that, it's kind of clear it's probably over. So there's that element to the J.J. McCarthy situation as well. Similar to Anthony Richardson with Daniel Jones."
Signing Murray would send a pretty strong signal that the McCarthy era is over after ten games. Theoretically, McCarthy could still win the job, but Murray's experience gives him a clear edge.
Schefter also said, "Kyler would be one option," though he mentioned Smith as well.
Murray, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, will be 29 when the season starts. But he still has to prove he’s fully healthy after a foot injury that sidelined him for 12 games in 2025 — one the Cardinals were notably tight-lipped about.
If he can, the Vikings could get their explosive passing game back. In 2024, Murray started all 17 games, completing 68.8% of his passes for 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a career-high 51.7% success rate.
There are questions about how much he fits Kevin O'Connell's scheme, and his 5'10", 207-pound stature could limit the amount of under-center snaps he takes.
But Murray has experienced quite a few "highs" in the NFL. Bringing him in wouldn't quite be like bringing in Sam Darnold in 2024, a quarterback with all the measurables but who had never put it together in the NFL.
Instead, O'Connell's job would be to get Murray to buy into the system, regain confidence, and return to Pro Bowl form in 2026.
If they can do that, the Vikings have a chance to return to the playoffs. And if their defense plays anything like it did in 2025, Minnesota has a chance to go on a run in the postseason.