In four years on the job, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has worked with eight different starting quarterbacks. The ninth one could be the most intriguing.
Kyler Murray arrives, seven years after entering the NFL as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft — and four years after the Cardinals permanently poisoned their relationship with him by jamming a homework clause into his second contract. He has more raw talent than any of the others with whom O’Connell has worked.
Yes, there are flaws. His height, for starters. It’s far below prototypical, and it creates a real challenge when it comes to seeing through the wall of humanity in front of him. It’s the kind of obstacle O’Connell will embrace, scheming plays to get Murray in position to spot the open targets and/or to make him trust what he can’t visually acquire. At times, it could be like flying a plane with just the instruments.
Regardless, Murray can make the throws. He can buy time with his feet. And, if all else fails, he can spot an opening and put the pedal to the metal.
Of the quarterbacks who have started under O’Connell — Kirk Cousins, Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer — Hall is the closest comparison to Murray. At six feet, Hall is only two inches taller than Murray. Like Murray, Hall was regarded as a dual-threat quarterback.
The Vikings made Hall a fifth-round pick in 2023. And while it didn’t work for Hall in Minnesota (he got the first start after Cousins tore an Achilles tendon in 2023, and Hall suffered a concussion at the end of a nine-play, 74-yard drive that resulted in a field goal), Murray has a much better arm — and much fleeter feet. (Hall, after spending 2024 with the Seahawks, is preparing for his first season in the UFL, with the Birmingham Stallions.)
Then there’s the difference between the Cardinals and the Vikings, as overall organizations. Beyond the ridiculous decision to reduce to writing an expectation that Murray show a greater commitment to his craft, the Cardinals have been among the group of dysfunctional organizations that more often than not find themselves jockeying for position in the top ten of the draft. Now, Murray lands with a team that typically lands in the middle of the pack, with an every-other-year trend (generally) of getting to the playoffs.
And, yes, the Vikings are less than 15 months removed from a winner-take-all Week 18 game for the top seed in the NFC.
In recent years, we’ve seen several quarterbacks find success with a team other than the one that drafted them. From Geno Smith to Baker Mayfield to Darnold to Daniel Jones, a change of scenery, of coaching, of teammates, of organization can unlock a higher level of performance.
Murray, of course, has already played at a high level. He was the offensive rookie of the year. He qualified for the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021. His second contract resulted in a new-money annual average that put him at $46.1 million, a click above the Deshaun Watson deal, which had matched Patrick Mahomes for the top APY of $45 million. No one suggested that the Cardinals had overpaid.
Of course, the dip started that same year. But Murray didn’t implode; he simply didn’t play as well as he had during his first three seasons. Along the way, coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired and replaced by Jonathan Gannon, who was recently fired after three seasons and a 15-36 record.
So was it Murray or was it the Cardinals? The Vikings have made a low-money bet ($1.3 million) on it being the latter. And if O’Connell can get Murray back to doing what he did in 2019 through 2021, the Vikings could end up with the best overall player at the quarterback position that they’ve had since O’Connell arrived in 2022.
They finished 2025 with five straight wins and somehow escaped the basement of the ultra-competitive NFC North, thanks largely to a defense orchestrated by Brian Flores. And while the entire roster is dealing with a cap-driven overhaul, plenty of players who know the system well will be back.
Ultimately, how things go in 2026 will depend on how the quarterback position goes. Which will depend on whether O’Connell can coax enough out of Murray — first to position him to win the starting job and second to help propel the team to victories.
Vikings Clips
The Vikings, as expected, have added a veteran quarterback to the depth chart, in the form of 2019 No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray.
With Murray signing a one-year, $1.3 million deal (thanks to the Cardinals owing him another $35.5 million) that includes a no-tag clause for 2027, it’s fair to wonder whether Murray arrives as the new starter.
Coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t answer that question on Thursday night.
“Unless I’m confused in any way, shape or form, I don’t believe we have to name one of those currently,” O’Connell said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.
The fact that O’Connell didn’t say J.J. McCarthy is the starter becomes a strong clue that it’ll be a competition, and that the better player will earn the job.
And McCarthy can’t be surprised by the development, given the full-season body of evidence from 2025.
“He knew we were going to be adding somebody to the room,” O’Connell said regarding McCarthy, via Seifert. “He knew that that didn’t change anything about his mindset and focus on improving and attacking this offseason the right way.”
That’s the goal of competition. Both players should be motivated to win the job. That should push each guy to become as good as he can be.
Given their respective injury histories, there’s a good chance both will play, at some point. It will be for the coaching staff to decide which of the two will be the Week 1 starter, and beyond.
Most NFL players never play for the NFL team they grew up rooting for. In 2027, new Viking quarterback Kyler Murray will.
In his introductory press conference after signing with the Vikings, Murray said he was a Vikings fan as a child.
“Ever since I started playing tackle football — I was 7 years old,” Murray said. “Genuine fandom. . . . Vikings gear through and through. A lot of purple in my household.”
He initially hesitated to share a specific example to prove it, before telling the story.
“I cried real tears whenever Brett [Favre] threw that interception,” Murray said, referring to the team’s overtime loss in the 2009 NFC Championship.
He revisited during the video conference the winding road that brought him to the Vikings, 17 years later.
“Never in a million years did I think that this was gonna come around full circle,” Murray said. “Not even a thought in my head. But the opportunity presented itself. Again, just watching from afar what [coach Kevin O’Connell] has been able to do [with] quarterbacks, offense. The guys in place here. [Defensive coordinator Brian Flores] and the defense. I think that it’s a great fit. And like I said, I’m thankful. I’m thankful for the opportunity.”
As to his role, Murray said only that he looks forward to coming in and competing. And he’ll be competing primarily with J.J. McCarthy.
Sometimes, the thing that feels inevitable inevitably doesn’t happen. This time around, the clear outcome occurred.
Per multiple reports, the Vikings have agreed to terms with quarterback Kyler Murray. Murray’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, told NFL Network that it’s a one-year deal for the veteran minimum of $1.3 million. The Cardinals will owe Murray $35.5 million in 2026.
The deal includes a no-tag clause. That’s a key term, one that guarantees Murray will become a free agent in 2027, with neither the franchise tag nor the transition tag restricting him.
Murray, the first overall pick in the 2019 draft, was released by the Cardinals on Wednesday, after seven seasons. He was the offensive rookie of the year and a two-time Pro Bowler in his first three seasons.
He joins a depth chart headlined, for now, by J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in 2024. Whether and to what extent Murray and McCarthy have an open competition remains to be seen.
The Bengals are adding a veteran defensive tackle.
According to multiple reports, Jonathan Allen has agreed to a two-year deal with Cincinnati.
The initial numbers indicate Allen’s contract is worth a maximum of $28 million with incentives.
Allen, 31, had spent his first eight seasons with Washington before signing a three-year deal with Minnesota last offseason. he was subsequently released by the Vikings earlier this week.
In 2025, Allen started all 17 games for Minnesota, recording 68 total tackles with seven tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, and 3.5 sacks.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Allen has registered 45.5 sacks, 67 tackles for loss, and 129 QB hits over the course of his career.
Yes, quarterback Kyler Murray will visit the Vikings on Thursday — his agent, Erik Burkhardt, has confirmed that to NFL Media.
But here’s the interesting twist, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Media: Burkhardt told him that Murray plans to meet by Zoom on Wednesday night and Thursday with executives from three to five teams that potentially have a quarterback need in 2027.
Possibilities (as we see it) include the Jets, the Steelers, the Browns, the Falcons, and the Rams.
It gives Murray an opportunity to get a head start on free agency next year, which underscores the likelihood he’ll sign a one-year, $1.3 million deal for 2026.
That makes a no-tag clause critical. He needs to be able to hit the market next year, if for whatever reason he plays well and doesn’t get a solid offer to stick around with the Vikings, or whoever he signs with.
The Vikings continue to be the clear favorite. There’s really no one else. And, as of last season near the trade deadline, the Vikings were one of the teams in which Murray was interested.
Quarterback Kyler Murray is currently a free agent. That may not last long.
John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM in Phoenix reports that Murray will visit the Vikings on Thursday.
From Gambadoro’s tweet: “A starting spot is a priority, and Minnesota does offer that and a deal could be done in the next 24 hours. But Murray and his camp are expected to explore several options as a backup in 2026 for teams that could need a starting QB in 2027 over the next 24 hours.”
One team that has interest in Murray as a backup for 2026, we hear, is the Rams. And with Matthew Stafford on a year-to-year plan, L.A. could need a starter by 2027.
Still, as immediate starting options go, the Vikings present the best opportunity. Unless the Steelers snap out of their Aaron Rodgers 2.0 fever dream.
Murray’s appeal, beyond his skills, comes from his availability at only $1.3 million for 2026. He should insist on a no-tag clause for 2027, so that he’ll have maximum leverage if he plays in 2026 like he did in the early years of his career.
It didn’t take long for Javon Hargrave to find a new team.
According to multiple reports, Hargrave will has agreed to a two-year deal with the Packers.
The initial numbers indicate Hargrave’s deal is worth $23 million, with $13 million in 2026.
Word emerged earlier this month that the Vikings planned to release Hargrave after one year with the club. He appeared in 16 games with 15 starts in 2025, recording 52 total tackles with four tackles for loss, six QB hits, and 3.5 sacks.
Hargrave was released on Wednesday.
A third-round pick in the 2016 draft, Hargrave has played 146 career games with 130 starts for Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Minnesota. He’s tallied 49.0 career sacks with 59 tackles for loss and 85 QB hits in his 10 seasons.
When the Vikings announced the previously reported releases of defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on Wednesday, they also announced a procedural move involving safety Harrison Smith.
Smith was not under contract for the 2026 season, but the team has designated him as a post-June 1 cut in order to spread the cap hit remaining on void years of his contract over the next two seasons. The move will provide the team with $1.3 million in cap savings this summer.
The Vikings’ announcement notes that Smith has not made any decision about playing in 2026 at this point.
Smith said in December that a decision about playing a 15th season will “handle itself when it does.” He had 54 tackles, two interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery during the 2025 season.
Should auld acquaintance be forget and something something the Cardinals have released quarterback Kyler Murray.
At precisely 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday — the official start of the 2026 league year to the minute — the Cardinals announced that they have parted ways with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
“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,” Cardinals G.M. Monti Ossenfort said in a statement. “We are extremely grateful for his contributions both on the field and off and we wish him nothing but the absolute best moving forward.”
The Cardinals owe Murray $36.8 million for 2026. This allows him to sign a one-year deal for $1.3 million, with the Cardinals paying the $35.5 million balance.
As explained earlier, the Vikings making the most sense. Most of the other teams that were looking for a starter have addressed their needs.
Barring a major upset, the Vikings will add Murray to the depth chart, at a very low cost.
