Minnesota signed Kyler Murray to a low-risk, one-year deal. But based on how negotiations unfolded, the Vikings may already believe he’ll play his way into something much bigger.
The Minnesota Vikings will have the luxury of having Kyler Murray on a cheap one-year, $1.3 million deal in 2026. But it sounds like Minnesota may have already viewed Kyler Murray as their 2027 quarterback.
On Monday, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer detailed Murray's journey to signing with the Vikings. After the physicals and meetings were taken care of, Breer said Kevin O'Connell told Murray the team wanted him to sign.
That, of course, is no surprise. However, when Minnesota interim general manager Rob Brzezinski and Murray's agent, Erik Burkhardt, negotiated the contract, Breer said the possibility of adding a second year to the "relatively simple deal" was briefly explored.
Ultimately, the two sides agreed to a one-year deal with a "no-tag" clause added. That meant the Vikings can't use the franchise tag on Murray after the season. He will be free to sign with whoever he wants, whether that's Minnesota or elsewhere.
Not committing to a two-year deal is smart for Murray. The one-year deal gives him the chance to maximize his value in 2027 if he has a year similar to Sam Darnold's in 2024.
On the other side of the coin, the Vikings were trying to lock Murray in for what would almost certainly be a below-market deal in 2027. That Minnesota would float the idea suggests the team expects its coaching staff and supporting cast to elevate Murray to a level that commands a sizable contract. He is, after all, only going to be 29 this season.
That means next year could look a lot like last offseason with Darnold. The Vikings were only willing to offer Darnold a one-year deal for 2025 and chose not to match the three-year, $100 million contract he eventually signed with the Seattle Seahawks.
At the time, Minnesota believed it could unlock J.J. McCarthy’s potential while taking advantage of his rookie contract. Instead, McCarthy struggled, and the team lacked stability at quarterback.
In hindsight, that decision is even more notable considering the resources Minnesota committed elsewhere. The money spent on free agents such as Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Ryan Kelly could have gone toward retaining Darnold — players who won’t even be on the roster in 2026.
Maybe Minnesota wanted to avoid that kind of decision once again in 2027. Or maybe they are so confident that Murray will play well that they are willing to essentially move on from McCarthy to keep the former No. 1 overall pick in purple. They just wanted to get ahead of the bidding war.
The Vikings' decision to commit to McCarthy in 2025 and not find suitable competition derailed their playoff chances. They now appear ready to not only avoid a repeat of that this year, but next year as well.
Murray has a chance to help not only himself but the Vikings, too. Do that and help facilitate a playoff run, and Minnesota will welcome his return in 2027, no matter the cost.