How Realistic is Kyler Murray as a Vikings QB Target This Offseason?

Kyler Murray is one of the most fascinating quarterbacks the Vikings could theoretically pursue this offseason. There are obvious questions around his size, his injury history, and how well he'd fit in Kevin O'Connell's offense, but he's also an immensely talented former No. 1 overall pick who might be the best QB to actually become available this spring.

At the very top end of the Vikings' quarterback wishlist are established stars like Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Herbert. The odds that any of them can be acquired are quite slim. The bottom of the list includes veterans who would be an upgrade over Carson Wentz but would ideally be backup options behind J.J. McCarthy. That's the Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo, Joe Flacco tier.

In between those two buckets are a bunch of different quarterbacks, ranging from mid-tier starters to high-end backups. Daniel Jones, Malik Willis, Aaron Rodgers, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Derek Carr — the list goes on. All of them would bring some level of intrigue and upside to Minnesota's QB room alongside McCarthy.

That's the group Murray falls into.

A few years into his career, Kyler seemed to be on the path to long-term NFL stardom. After winning the Heisman at Oklahoma, he was drafted first overall by the Cardinals in 2019 and won rookie of the year. In 2020, he made his first Pro Bowl by throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 26 touchdowns, also adding 800 yards and 11 TDs as a runner. In 2021, when the Cardinals got off to a 7-0 start, Murray was a legitimate MVP candidate. He missed a few weeks due to an ankle injury but made another Pro Bowl, reached the playoffs for the first time, and had the most efficient passing season of his young career. He was rewarded with a five-year, $230 million contract the following summer.

Kyler Murray playing the Vikings in 2021 | Michael Chow via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Since then, things have veered off course for Murray and the Cardinals, who haven't been back to the postseason. Murray played in only 11 games in 2022, then tore his ACL as Arizona went 4-13 and Kliff Kingsbury got fired. He returned to play in the final eight games of 2023, but the Cardinals were 4-13 again in year one under Jonathan Gannon. 2024 was a bounce-back year for Murray, who played in all 17 games and had a solid statistical year, but Arizona went 8-9. Last season, Murray played in only five games before missing the rest of the year with a foot injury. Despite capable backup play from Jacoby Brissett, the Cardinals finished 3-14 and Gannon was fired.

Now 28 years old, Murray is at a very interesting point in his career. The Cardinals have a new head coach once more, having hired Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. And after seven seasons, Murray's time in Arizona may have run its course. A change of scenery could be what's best for both him and the Cardinals, whether that's via a trade or an outright release that would require Arizona to eat a huge chunk of dead money this year.

If Murray ends up elsewhere, the Vikings might be a logical landing spot. They need a quarterback, and O'Connell had a lot of success in 2024 with another former top draft pick in Sam Darnold. Murray is undersized, but he's undeniably talented. For his career, he's completed 67 percent of his passes for over 20,000 yards with 121 touchdowns, 60 interceptions, a 92.2 rating, and 6 yards per rush.

Kyler Murray in 2025 | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

The key question — and one that's difficult to know the answer to — is how interested O'Connell would be in Murray as a quarterback in his specific offense. Can the 5'10" Murray make the intermediate throws over the middle of the field that KOC loves to dial up? Can he stand in the pocket and deliver throws under pressure, or would he be too quick to bail on the pocket and look to scramble? Can he thrive in play-action concepts from under center?

There's also the risk of bringing in a veteran quarterback with an injury history to join McCarthy, who has missed 24 of 34 games since being drafted.

Personally, I'm not sure about the fit. I think it's extremely unlikely the Vikings would have any interest in trading for Murray on his current contract. If he's released by the Cardinals, it's certainly a conversation worth having, given his age and talent level. Even then, I'd be fairly surprised if Murray ends up in Minnesota's quarterback room in 2026.

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