Kyler Murray
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Teams across the NFL are curious to see how Kyler Murray will fare with the Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings entered the offseason knowing they would need to find some help at the quarterback position after J.J. McCarthy labored through a rough 2025 campaign. That led the team to sign Kyler Murray to a one-year, $1.3 million contract after he was released by the Arizona Cardinals, as he will come in and compete with McCarthy for the starting job.
For now, McCarthy is still the frontrunner to be Minnesota’s starter in Week 1, but it’s clear that Murray is going to give him a real run for his money. This is especially true because of the fact that head coach Kevin O’Connell‘s offensive system is believed to be a quarterback-friendly scheme. With that in mind, teams and personnel across the NFL are beginning to become very curious about Murray’s fit with the Vikings.
Kyler Murray’s Pairing with the Vikings is Beginning to Turn Heads
The Cardinals selected Murray with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and early in his career, he appeared to be on his way to becoming one of the top quarterbacks in the league. In 2019, Murray won the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, before he rattled off a pair of Pro Bowl selections in 2020 and 2021.
Over time, though, Murray began to struggle to consistently lead Arizona to wins, and he ended up getting shut down early last season after Jacoby Brissett outperformed him while filling in for Murray as he dealt with a foot injury. Murray got cut, and the Vikings scooped him up to at least compete with McCarthy for the starting job.
Given how poorly McCarthy played last season, though, Murray may actually be the favorite to be Minnesota’s starting quarterback come Week 1. and should that happen, some folks think Murray could be due for a bounce-back campaign, as they believe that O’Connell’s offensive scheme, which features star playmakers such as Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, is designed to bring out the best in Murray.
“Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell erred on the side of diplomacy in any public comments about his quarterbacks room, which now includes 2019 No. 1 pick Kyler Murray and backup Carson Wentz, along with 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy and backup Max Brosmer,” Rodrigue wrote. “But curiosity is building around the league about what Murray will do in O’Connell’s creative, quarterback-friendly system.”
Should Kyler Murray Be the Vikings’ Starting Quarterback?
Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
GettyKyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals watches from the sidelines during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Neither Murray (5 G, 110/161, 962 YDS, 6 TD, 3 INT, 29 CAR, 173 YDS, 1 TD) nor McCarthy (10 G, 140/243, 1,632 YDS, 11 TD, 12 INT, 37 CAR, 181 YDS, 4 TD) looked good during their time under center last year. The Vikings don’t want to give up on McCarthy too soon, but this is a team that legitimately appears to be a playoff contender, assuming it can figure out its quarterback situation.
That makes the team’s decision between McCarthy and Murray extremely important. McCarthy has to show some sort of improvement during training camp in order to keep Murray at bay, or else O’Connell will likely be inclined to turn to him as the team’s starting quarterback. Murray struggled in 2025, but he has a better track record of success in the NFL, which is why he should be the frontrunner to be Minnesota’s starting quarterback come Week 1 of the 2026 season.