One day after he was released by the Arizona Cardinals, quarterback Kyler Murray signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings.
Arizona selected Murray first in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he earned Rookie of the Year honors that season, but he largely underwhelmed beyond that.
Murray was ranked No. 40 on The Athletic’s list of the top 150 free agents of 2026. He was the third-best quarterback available. On Thursday, he visited the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minn., before signing.
“Today was so fun,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “You’re getting to spend time in person for an extended period of time in the 1-on-1 setting. It allows you to throw the tape on, talk through some things, and then you might pause that, and you’re talking about life and adversity. … I think it’s important Kyler learned about me, because I think that’s a big part of building that relationship so you can coach a guy hard and help him improve and be a really consistent player within our team.”
Murray, 28, went 38-48-1 as the Cardinals’ starter. He made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2020 and 2021, and in 2024, he surpassed 3,000 passing yards for the fourth time. He appeared in just one playoff game, though, a wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.
Last season, Murray played in only five games because of a foot injury. He finished the season on the injured reserve, and speculation about his future in Arizona spiked. Murray went 2-3 in those appearances and tallied 962 passing yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions.
How he fits
The Vikings wanted an experienced, productive and talented former starting quarterback. They wanted to find a quarterback who could push 23-year-old J.J. McCarthy to the maximum. Murray checks all of those boxes.
“I think Kyler is an accurate player,” O’Connell said. “I think he’s really learned to play with very, very solid fundamentals. In the pass game, I think his ability and experience playing from an NFL pocket has proven to be something where he can make all of the throws.”
The Vikings recognized his talent and knew they could acquire Murray and pay him the veteran minimum of $1.3 million for the 2026 season.
Murray is also a player with untapped potential. The Vikings believe he will arrive motivated — and that their culture and high standards will provide him a platform to raise his ceiling.
2026 roster impact
It’s impossible not to consider Murray’s impact on McCarthy. The team wanted the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft to become its franchise quarterback, but McCarthy’s first couple of seasons have been rocky. He tore his meniscus during his first training camp. This past season, he missed time with hand injuries, a high ankle sprain and a concussion, and he only played 10 games. Despite his struggles on the field, McCarthy showed hints of high-end traits.
The Vikings, though, could not afford to proceed into 2026 without high-end insurance. They hope the presence of a new quarterback will catalyze McCarthy’s development.
Can Murray and McCarthy co-exist? How will McCarthy develop if he’s not taking all of the first-team reps? These are questions executives, coaches and scouts around the NFL have asked. There are no easy answers.
Cap update
One of the major reasons the Vikings were interested in Murray was his contract. The offset language in his deal made him cheap. The Vikings will pay $1.3 million of Murray’s $36.8 million salary. Arizona will pay the rest due to the nature of releasing him on Wednesday.
The Vikings still have work to do to make up more than $40 million of salary-cap deficit. These moves will allow the Vikings to build the best possible environment around Murray and fill holes on both sides of the ball.
The Vikings aren’t likely to live at the top of the market with any of their subsequent free-agent signings. However, their coaches and personnel staff have deftly sifted through some mid- to lower-tier free-agent possibilities who, like Murray, they think they can maximize.
Alec’s takeaway
One of O’Connell’s greatest strengths is establishing a relationship with veteran quarterbacks. They respect the way he sees the game. And they appreciate his tact both on game day and throughout the week.
“I remember, during the combine, I had an interview with Washington,” Murray said. “He was with them. He pulled me aside after, and ever since then, he’s always made sure to check in on me after a game and things like that. I always respected that and appreciated his opinion of me.”
Murray is different than former starters Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins. He has more playmaking flair. Accentuating that quality is going to be O’Connell’s foremost challenge. The Vikings’ system has been built on operating over the middle, and Murray’s performance in that area wavers.
If the two work together and adapt amicably, the sky could be the limit for a player with Murray’s arm talent and dynamic ability.
