Opinion: The Best QB Trade the Vikings Could Make in 2026

The race has begun for the Minnesota Vikings in their search for a quarterback addition for the 2026 season.

Whether or not the Vikings are looking for a failsafe in case current starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy falters or simply looking for a replacement is up for debate. What seems clear is that Minnesota wants to add somebody at the quarterback position.

Earlier this week, we discussed why trading for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones would be a resoundingly good move. Jones would immediately improve the Vikings offense if he were to perform like he did in relief of San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy.

There is one move that could cause the Vikings to reach another level. Minnesota could add Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.

Mark Morales-Smith of Fantasy Sports on SI discussed why the move would be such a victory for the Vikings in the 2026 offseason.

"Minnesota was a quarterback away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2025. Instead, they missed the playoffs altogether. They made a mistake drafting and deciding to go all in on JJ McCarthy as their starter. With a Super Bowl-caliber defense and a loaded offense outside of the quarterback, they need to be trying to win now, because championship windows generally don't last long.

Even if they want to hold on to McCarthy and try to develop him as a backup, this team desperately needs a serviceable starter who can help them compete for a Super Bowl. This is a very similar situation to what we saw with the Seattle Seahawks this season."

That the Vikings were a quarterback away from Super Bowl contention is a bold claim. Certainly, Minnesota detractors would point to the team's first round exit from the 2024-25 postseason after a 14-3 start as evidence that the Vikings were never true Super Bowl contenders with Sam Darnold at quarterback. That said, it's hard to imagine just how good the Vikings would have been with quality quarterback play in 2025.

It's not hard to imagine that the team would have been better. Famously, the team defeated the Detroit Lions with close to negative net passing yards late in the season. With McCarthy injured, Max Brosmer's sack yardage nearly erased what little passing production the Vikings had. And while McCarthy was clearly better than Brosmer, he was below standard for much of the season.

Just twice last season, against the Baltimore Ravens (248) and Dallas Cowboys (250) did McCarthy throw for more than 200 yards in a game. That leaves eight starts where McCarthy threw for less than 200, with an 87-yard performance in the first game against Green Bay and three more sub-150-yard passing games in 2025.

The Vikings' 2026 quarterback addition may not be an overnight fix, but Kyler Murray stands as a player that could expedite Minnesota's postseason breakout. In all four seasons in which Murray has started at least 14 games in a season, he has thrown for over 3,700 passing yards. That more than doubles McCarthy's 1,632 passing yards from last year.

Though injured for much of 2025, Murray put up 3,851 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions a year prior with a quarterback rating of 93.5.

There are multiple trades and free agent additions that could make the Vikings better at the quarterback position from Daniel Jones to Mac Jones to Kirk Cousins. Yet if there's one trade to prioritize over the others, Minnesota should do what they can to make sure trading for Murray is an option for 2026.