Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings are in their bye week and have had Kyler Murray play in three full games. Murray and the Vikings’ offense showed signs of life in their Week 5 win over the New Orleans Saints, which is a confidence builder.
Nonetheless, with the Vikings already a month into the season, the question regarding Murray’s long-term future will be a topic of conversation. Minnesota has already traded away J.J. McCarthy and has Carson Wentz and Murray on one-year contracts.
As a result, there’s the possibility that the Vikings could start from scratch. Nonetheless, the team is 5-0, and Murray flashed his dual-threat ability in that win over the Saints.
Former Vikings wideout Cris Carter shared that what could determine Murray’s long-term future in Minnesota will be the money he’ll want in free agency in the offseason.
“I don’t think there’s a certain number,” Carter said on the Oct. 12 edition of “Up & Adams.” “I think because of what they’re trying to do, Jordan Addison’s up for a new contract, how much they’re paying JJ, and some other offensive players. I think if they can get Kyler, if everything works out this season at the right number, yes, he can be the guy.
“But ultimately, if you don’t know who your quarterback’s going to be, you’re not where you want to be in the NFL. You either want to be in the top eight teams of the NFL or in the bottom four teams. You don’t want to be in the middle part. So we have to figure out the quarterback situation.”
Cris Carter Likes What He’s Seen From Vikings’ Kyler Murray
Nonetheless, so far, Carter also mentioned that he likes what he’s seen from Murray, which leads him to believe that the former No. 1 pick can be the franchise QB for Minnesota. Moreover, the Vikings wouldn’t be asking him to be the face of the franchise.
“I like where we are,” Carter added. “I like his overall growth and being in the locker room; I was at practice a couple of weeks ago, too. Being in the locker room when he was in the concussion protocol, there’s a good vibe.
He’s never felt the relief that he feels because he doesn’t have to carry a franchise, not only because of the defense, not only because of the special teams, but there’s a guy named Justin Jefferson that kind of eats up a lot of that pressure, the interviews, and all those things. So he can kind of be incognito sometimes in Minnesota, which he’s never been able to do in his career, and that’s got to be a relief for any franchise quarterback.”
Justin Jefferson on Kyler Murray’s Week 5 Performance
Meanwhile, Murray’s upward trajectory after the win over the Saints isn’t getting lost on his teammates. Murray went 24-for-30 on his pass attempts, leading to 229 passing yards, one touchdown, and a passer rating of 109.6.
Furthermore, the Vikings quarterback used his legs to hurt the Saints’ defense as he recorded 10 carries for 51 rushing yards, with his longest run being for 18 yards. After the game, Justin Jefferson shared his thoughts on Murray’s performance.
“He seemed to find a rhythm,” Jefferson told reporters postgame on Oct. 11. “It was great. The off-schedule plays he made scrambling and using his feet to create first downs and build momentum were definitely big for us. When a play doesn’t look like much, but he’s making something out of nothing, that goes a long way for us.
“That’s something we were looking for and expecting from him, creating those plays, scrambling, and looking downfield to make those big plays. He played tremendously. We just have to finish those drives, especially with the two fumbles we had.”
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Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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