Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
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Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals watches from the sidelines during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Minnesota Vikings have yet to make anything official, but all signs point to Kyler Murray taking the reins as QB1. That leaves the future of 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy as a source of intrigue.
Murray has leaned into his new chapter.
The Vikings have the kind of infrastructure that should facilitate a bounce-back season for the former No. 1 overall pick (2019).
Kyler Murray Shares Strong Message
Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
GettyKyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals warms up before a game against the Tennessee Titans.
Murray has been a polarizing figure, with his talent on the field drawing praise, but questions about work ethic continue to follow the Vikings’ new QB.
“Nowadays we can’t even find common ground, but if they ask you what I haven’t done…not a sound,” Murray captioned a post featuring a series of images that he shared to his Instagram on April 3.
Murray’s custom Lamborghini Revuelto was the co-star of the shoot.
Murray, 28, has a similar dual-threat skill set as McCarthy, but is far more proven. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year and is a two-time Pro Bowler.
Murray completed 68.8% of his passes for 3,851 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in his last full season with the Arizona Cardinals. That was in 2024. He has a 20,460-121-60 line on 67.1% completion for his career.
However, durability is a concern for Murray, who is undersized for the position.
He has logged one full regular-season slate since 2020, appearing in 55 of a possible 85 games in that span. That is a trend that Murray and the Vikings must overcome.
Kyler Murray Sparks Flurry of Reactions
Kyler Murray
GettyKyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on against the Green Bay Packers.
Murray’s post drew a slew of reactions from current Vikings and former Cardinals teammates in the comment section.
Vikings teammate and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. posted Snapped [fingers crossed emoji].
Former Cardinals teammate and wide receiver Xavier Weaver, fellow wideout Diontae Johnson, and Murray’s former Oklahoma Sooners teammate and NFL running back Trey Sermon all shared emojis in support of the quarterback.
Cardinals running back Emari DeMercado posted, “Chill out” with laughing face a fire emojis,” while fellow RB Michael Carter said, “u tweaked w this one ngl [fire emojis].”
There were also some Batman references. Fitting, given the look of Murray’s ride.
Kyler Murray’s Arrival a Flashpoint for J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
GettyJ.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Murray’s persona is vastly different from the one that McCarthy has shown so far. His approach is just one aspect of why his arrival is–or at least should be–a wake-up call for the former 10th overall pick.
Former Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph can see it both ways. The move could spark McCarthy. It could also be the first step toward moving away from a player Minnesota traded up to draft.
It all depends on what direction the team wants to go.
“Ultimately doing the Sam Darnold coming to Minnesota to maybe revive a stalled career, because you still believe that if someone comes and beats out J.J., there is still an opportunity for J.J. to be your franchise quarterback,” Rudolph told Forbes’ DJ Siddiqi in an interview published on April 1. “If you’re saying maybe J.J. is not our guy and we want to go all in, we have a roster to win right now. So certainly it’ll be interesting.”
McCarthy is under contract through at least the 2027 season. Murray is on a one-year deal, potentially leaving the Vikings in a similar situation next offseason.