As expected, Kyler Murray is heading to Minnesota. The quarterback is inking a one-year deal with the Vikings, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The 28-year-old Murray was always destined to make $36.8MM in 2026 by virtue of his release from the Cardinals, and the Vikings are indeed only paying their acquisition a minimum salary. Notably, the team did include a no-tag clause in Murray’s deal, meaning he’ll hit unrestricted free agency once again next year.
While one report stated Murray could exercise patience in finding a new home, he will head elsewhere just one day after the Cardinals made his long-awaited release official. The Vikings immediately became the frontrunners to sign Murray, the former No. 1 pick who fell out of favor in Arizona after seven seasons.
The Cardinals’ attempts to trade Murray proved futile, leading the team to cut him and take on $54.3MM in dead money. They will reportedly incur a $47.1MM dead cap charge in 2026 and a much more manageable $7.2MM hit in ’27.
A former Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma, the 5-foot-10, 207-pound Murray’s NFL career got off to an auspicious start. Murray took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019 before earning back-to-back original-ballot Pro Bowl nods from 2020-21. The Cardinals won 11 games to break a five-year playoff drought in Murray’s third season, but the Rams crushed them in the wild-card round. Thanks in part to injuries, Murray’s career has trended downward since the Cardinals awarded him a five-year, $230MM extension in July 2022.
A torn ACL in late 2022 cost Murray six games that year, and the recovery process held him out of the Cardinals’ first nine contests the next season. After Murray shook off the rust during his late-2023 return, he showed some encouraging signs in 2024. In the only 17-game season of his career, Murray completed 68.8% of passes for 3,851 yards (7.1 per attempt), 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, a 93.5 passer rating and a career-best 63.4 QBR. As a runner, Murray amassed 572 yards on 7.3 per carry and chipped in another five TDs.
Murray was unable to build on the momentum in 2025, yet another injury-shortened season. A mid-foot sprain limited Murray to just five games. He did not take the field beyond Oct. 5.
Like Murray, injuries have been a problem for Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The 2024 first-round pick from Michigan missed his rookie season with a torn meniscus, leading veteran Sam Darnold to fill in for the entire year. Darnold revived his career during a 14-3 season, but the Vikings let him walk in free agency.
Darnold, now a reigning Super Bowl champion, signed a three-year, $100.5MM pact with the Seahawks. Daniel Jones, a former Giants starter, finished 2024 as Darnold’s backup in Minnesota. While the Vikings tried to re-sign Jones, he took the Colts’ offer instead because he saw a clearer path to playing time. Jones went on to enjoy a career resurgence in 2025, leading the Colts to re-sign him to a two-year, $88MM contract this week. The Vikings were interested in reuniting with Jones before the Colts placed the transition tag on the 28-year-old and then extended him.
Minnesota’s pursuit of veteran signal-callers came in response to a rough first year as a starter for McCarthy. Three different injuries – a high ankle sprain, a concussion and a hairline fracture in his right hand – held McCarthy to 10 games. The 9-8 Vikings managed six wins in McCarthy’s 10 starts, but he threw more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (11). McCarthy also completed just 57.6% of passes while ranking near the bottom in the league in traditional passer rating (72.6) and QBR (35.7).
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the general manager who drafted McCarthy, lost his job in January. Before his ouster, he and head coach Kevin O’Connell made it known they would at least seek veteran competition for McCarthy this offseason. The offensive-minded O’Connell now has it in Murray, who will aim to follow in Darnold’s footsteps in Minnesota. If Murray beats out McCarthy and reestablishes himself as a legitimate starter in 2026, he could position himself for another lucrative deal a year from now.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
SKOLperbowl
Not so much. While hope is ever eternal you know this move does not put them over the top.
just to make a point, you (and pretty much everyone else, myself included) probably would’ve said the same thing about the Seahawks’ signing off darnold last off-season.
LET’S GO
Hopefully the Vikings coaching staff can teach him to tuck the ball when he runs the ball.
This is the best spot imo to come and revive or reinvent your qb play. The head coach is one of the best qb whispers there is..
yes. did a great job with McCarthy.
stupid signing. murray is terrible with the deep ball. if they were going to sign someone who can only throw 20 yards accurately, should have just signed Rodgers
Yeah because Rogers would be such a happy camper as a potential back up. Murray knows he is on a short leash.
If nothing else, it’s a solid hedge against JJM. Depends how healthy and locked-in Murray is.
JJM is toast and this signing confirms it….he was a program QB who benefited greatly from a great supporting roster around him and masked all of his faults…..Murray goes to the front row in the QB room.
Get your popcorn ready! I think Kyler will drive KOC nuts with undisciplined play and a lack of preparedness, but we shall see. Either way this goes, it’s going to be entertaining.
Between Murray and McCarthy, the Vikings ought to have at least 8 or 9 starts covered for next season.
Hot take. JJ is the week 1 starter and if healthy is the QB1 all season.
That is not really a hot take. Depending on who you talk to that is the expectation.
One less suitor for Mac Jones. Teams like Steelers will get desperate now.
My bet right now is he stays put.
Let’s see what happens. This is basically a rental
So was Darnold for the Vikings. So was Daniel Jones for the Colts. A rental that doubles as an audition to hit the market or get re-signed as a clear starter again.
Good and also expected. JJ McCarthy still has a chance to be something (the guy’s only 15 months older than Arch Manning), but he hasn’t stayed healthy and he hasn’t looked ready. He’s scarily looked almost Zach Wilson-ish at times.
People love to rag on Murray, but even if he’s always too frustrating to be anyone’s happy long-term plan, he’s been a good starting NFL quarterback before. He’s been a better QB overall than Daniel Jones and he’s never gotten to play with an offensive coach as good as KOC, nor have a receiving tandem as good as Jefferson and Addison.
They’re paying Murray less than 10% what it cost the Colts to sign Daniel Jones *last* year. This is an easy choice for them and the best choice for him. It would be fun to see him develop another level. Even if he doesn’t and just stays healthy most of the season, I’ll be glad to see someone actually getting the ball to Justin Jefferson again.
The NFL anounced a change to their policy with regard to player shoes. Quarterbacks will now be allowed to wear 6 inch heels.