Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray
The Kyler Murray Vikings rumor just picked up a genuinely new twist:Major League Baseball’s Athletics publicly reopened the door for Murray to return to baseball, at the exact moment he’s headed toward NFL free agency and being linked to Minnesota.
The Cardinals have informed Murray they plan to release him at the start of the new NFL league year on March 11, which is also when the Vikings (and everyone else) can start officially shopping. Murray posted a heartfelt goodbye to Arizona afterward.
Key Points
Kyler Murray
To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77 year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my
NFL Rumors: Kyler Murray Vikings
The Vikings angle is straightforward: Minnesota needs clarity at quarterback, and Murray is about to become available without a trade cost. ESPN has already framed Murray’s exit as something that directly impacts the Vikings’ QB and draft plans, and NFL.com has included Minnesota among the logical landing spots.
And the rumor isn’t just random internet noise. Rapoport specifically mentioned the Vikings as a team to watch, which is the type of breadcrumb that keeps a rumor alive through the combine-to-free-agency window.
Murray’s contract situation is why Minnesota keeps coming up: if his 2026 guarantees are subject to offsets (commonly reported in these discussions), it can push him toward a lower 2026 salary with a new team – often framed as a veteran-minimum-style year – before re-entering the market again. That concept has been widely discussed in cap analysis around his impending release.
Vikings Rumors: Is Kyler Murray Going to Minnesota?
Here’s the catch: the Vikings’ cap math is tight entering March.OverTheCap andSpotrac both show Minnesota projected over the cap (ballpark mid-$40M range), meaning roster moves have to happen beforeany splashy shopping.
That doesn’t kill the Kyler Murray Vikings rumor, but it shapes it:
If Minnesota views Murray as true competition for J.J. McCarthy (not just a camp arm), the Vikings likely need a clear plan for cap-clearing restructures/cutsfirst.
If Murray’s 2026 pay truly can be kept low due to offset mechanics, that’s when Minnesota becomes even more believable, because the Vikings could sell it as “competition + upside” without a massive Year 1 cap hit.
The Vikings have also publicly talked about building a competitive QB room around McCarthy’s development, which is basically the PR-language foundation for adding a veteran.
Kyler Murray Baseball: A’s Re-Open Door
Now for the curveball: the A’s aren’t pretending the baseball chapter is closed.
MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos reported A’s GM David Forst said the club is “always open” to Murray exploring a return to baseball if he ever wants it. The A’s drafted him No. 9 overall in 2018, and the organization retained his MLB rights after he chose football.
Gallegos also noted Murray was a legit college baseball talent at Oklahoma (a .296 average with 10 homers in 51 games in 2018, per the report), which is why this remains a “phone call you have to make” moment, even if the odds of a real switch are slim.
So what’s the Vikings angle? The A’s comments don’t mean Murray is leaving football, but they add leverage and intrigue right as NFL teams are preparing their free-agent pitches. Minnesota’s sell becomes:come win now in an offense that can maximize you… and your long-term options stay wide open.
Kyler Murray Stats (What the Vikings Would Be Getting)
If the Kyler Murray Vikings rumor turns into something real, Minnesota wouldn’t be rolling the dice on an unknown. Murray has 87 career starts and the production profile teams chase in a modern QB: efficient passing plus real running value.
Through his NFL career, Murray has totaled 20,460 passing yards, 121 passing touchdowns, 60 interceptions, and a 92.2 passer rating.
He’s also been a legit dual-threat: 3,193 rushing yards and 32 rushing touchdowns on 532 carries.
Why that matters for Minnesota: those rushing TDs aren’t “scramble fluff” — they’re red-zone offense. In a Kevin O’Connell system that can stress defenses horizontally with spacing and vertically off play-action, Murray’s ability to threaten the edge changes how opponents play third down and the goal line.
What happens next?
March 11: Murray officially hits the market (unless something changes before then).