3 Reasons Why Vikings is the Perfect Landing Spot for Kyler Murray

The Minnesota Vikings are leading race to sign free agent quarterback Kyler Murray.

3 Reasons Why Vikings is the Perfect Landing Spot for Kyler Murray

Kyler Murray and Justin Jefferson inside the circle (Image via IMAGO)

In Short
  • Kyler Murray has been released by the Arizona Cardinals after seven seasons.
  • The Minnesota Vikings are considered the frontrunners to sign Murray as a free agent.
  • Murray's potential move to the Vikings is supported by their strong roster and coaching staff.

Kyler Murray‘s Arizona Cardinals adventure ended after seven seasons on Wednesday. The NFC West franchise officially released the player whom they drafted first overall.

The Cardinals’ general manager, Monti Ossenfort, announced Murray’s departure through a statement on Twitter/X.

With today’s start of the new league year and transactions now official, we want to thank Kyler for everything he has done for this organization over the last seven years. We are extremely grateful for his contributions both on the field and off and we wish him nothing but the absolute best moving forward.

Of course, Murray already knew beforehand that he was going to be released. A week earlier, he posted a farewell message that also apologized to Cardinals fans. Murray wrote:

To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ [Arizona], 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.

As a free agent, Murray has the liberty to pick his next team. That said, he has been heavily linked with the Minnesota Vikings. A source told Adam Schefter of ESPN that they would be very surprised if Murray does not end up in Minnesota with Kevin O’Connell.

Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky agreed with his ESPN colleague while appearing on the Pat McAfee Show.

Kyler Murray is gonna be the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings…all Minnesota needs is average QB play they’re a playoff football team...

However, Pro Football Talk reported that Murray still intends to take this as a job interview and will speak with every team that has interest in him.

Kyler Murray signing with the Vikings makes sense

Murray made 87 appearances for the Cardinals, including 5 last year as he battled a foot injury. He completed 67.1% of his passes for 20,460 yards, 121 touchdowns, and 60 interceptions. Additionally, he scored 32 touchdowns on 532 carries.

3 Reasons Why Vikings is the Perfect Landing Spot for Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray (Image via IMAGO)

Murray played postseason football just once in 2021. He’s sure to draw plenty of attention in free agency, and the Vikings seem like the most likely team to lock him in before the month’s end.

Chance to learn from the quarterback whisperer

By now, the entire league has come to realize that O’Connell is one of the best head coaches in the league in terms of developing quarterbacks. Kirk Cousins spent some of the best years of his life playing for the Vikings before moving to Atlanta.

Sam Darnold took the first step in rebuilding his career during his one-year layover in the Twin Cities. Minnesota recorded 14 wins (in 2024) and appeared in the playoffs with Darnold as their starting quarterback.

Daniel Jones backed up Darnold toward the end of the season following his release from the Giants. Both Darnold and Jones left, signing with the Seahawks and the Colts, respectively. Jones played some of the best football of his NFL career in Indiana before tearing his ACL.

Darnold, on the other hand, won the Super Bowl by defeating the Patriots in Super Bowl LX. So it only makes sense for Murray to pick the Vikings over any other team.

JJ McCarthy will be a non-factor

The Vikings drafted JJ McCarthy in the first round, intending to turn him into a franchise quarterback. The CFP champion spent the first year on IR after breaking his leg, forcing the Vikings to start Darnold and sign Jones as QB2.

In his second year, McCarthy saw the field sparingly. The Vikings went 6-4 with McCarthy as quarterback, but he did not look comfortable in O’Connell’s system. He threw 12 interceptions as opposed to 11 touchdowns and completed just 57.6% of his passes.

Murray will become the de facto starter if he joins the Vikings. Minnesota also benefits from this arrangement, as they only have to pay the Heisman Trophy winner a veteran minimum salary. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote in his mailbag:

[Kyler] Murray’s guaranteed $36.8 million for the 2026 season, and the Cardinals are responsible for all of it, minus what he gets from his new team. That flexibility to go play for the $1.215 million veteran minimum allows for Murray to focus on the football part of it, with the finances being a non-issue, and allows for the Vikings to bring in high-upside, low-cost competition for J.J. McCarthy.

The Vikings boast a far better roster compared to the Cardinals

Justin Jefferson may not admit that McCarthy’s performances have been less than ideal, but even he knows that the Vikings need someone with NFL experience to call shots from under center. Murray fits that bill perfectly.

However, Jefferson is not the only player on the Vikings that Murray can make good use of. Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones, supported by a line led by Christian Darrisaw, rank among the top players at their positions.

The Vikings also own the 18th overall pick in the draft. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN expects the Vikings to draft LSU CB Mansoor Delane with their pick.

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