Kyler Murray
Getty
Quarterback Kyler Murray, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals.
The Minnesota Vikings made arguably the best signing of NFL free agency this spring when they inked two-time Pro Bowler Kyler Murray to a one-year deal at a league minimum salary of $1.3 million, and the quarterback appears to be as all-in on his new franchise as the team is on him as its likely starter in 2026.
Murray hasn’t been incredibly active on social media since joining up with the Vikings in mid-March, though he sent out an image on Wednesday, April 1 from the Minnesota locker room with a two-word message that should be encouraging to any fan who sees it.
VikingzFanPage
#Vikings QB Kyler Murray on TikTok:
“New Home.”
“New home,” Murray captioned a photo of himself in front of his locker.
Kyler Murray Has Not Cemented QB1 Status in Minnesota
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
GettyFormer Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.
How long Minnesota is Murray’s home is an open question without an easy answer.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell refused to name Murray the starter upon his signing, though O’Connell also didn’t say that JJ McCarthy would return as the team’s QB1 after an up-and-down campaign in 2025, during which McCarthy went 6-4 as the starter.
The two will likely battle for the starting job, with veteran Carson Wentz also on the roster, though most analysts and team insiders predict that, at worst, the role of QB1 is Murray’s to lose.
Murray accepted the paltry salary from the Vikings because the Arizona Cardinals released him last month still owing the QB north of $36 million. The Cardinals will pay Murray that amount, minus the $1.3 million of the bill that Minnesota will now foot.
However, Murray will be a free agent again next spring and what happens regarding his future will be strongly tied to what happens in Minnesota during the upcoming season.
Kyler Murray Could Leave Vikings After One Season if He Plays Too Well, Too Poorly
Minnesota Vikings, Kyler Murray
GettyQuarterback Kyler Murray, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals.
The Vikings have a strong offensive roster that is likely to continue improving through this month’s NFL draft and third-wave free agency.
But regardless of what new additions come Murray’s way, he’s got elite talent in the WR room already with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, a two-time Pro Bowl tight end in TJ Hockenson and a stacked offensive line if it can remain healthy, which was not the case last season.
If Murray has a monster year, he will likely hunt a big deal in free agency. Under those circumstances, the Vikings may be inclined to grant it to him, especially because they let Sam Darnold walk last offseason after a big campaign in 2024 and he went on to win a Super Bowl ring with the Seattle Seahawks in February.
That said, Minnesota can’t go overboard with a contract for Murray in 2027, even if he plays well. How he fits into O’Connell’s scheme and how the two adjust to one another will also matter in the context of how well a longterm relationship might play out.
If Murray demands too much money, or plays too well and can get more elsewhere than the Vikings are willing give, he likely plays one season in Minnesota and moves on. But if Murray is relatively unsuccessful, he isn’t likely to come back, either.