The Scenario Where the Vikings Are 100% Drafting a QB in 2027

After signing former Cardinals QB Kyler Murray this offseason, the Vikings have their quarterback situation figured out, potentially for the long-term. Murray and former No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy will allegedly compete for the starting spot this season, with the winner operating a stacked offense with Kevin O'Connell calling plays. That could set up Murray or McCarthy to be the long-term answer in Minnesota.

However, is there a world where we're right back in this situation next offseason, looking for the next guy to throw the football to Justin Jefferson? Yes, there is absolutely a nightmare scenario where the Vikings are back in the market in 2027, still looking for the franchise quarterback. Let's dive in.

Failure to launch

While the ceiling is high for either quarterback in the Vikings' offense, as we saw last year, that doesn't always translate into reality. Once Murray signed, he became the presumed starter, no matter how much the Vikings tell everybody there is going to be a competition.

On paper, you can see the workings of a top-tier offense with Murray as the starter. While he's dealt with injuries over the past couple of years, there have been flashes throughout his seven-year career of living up to the status of a first overall pick. That said, he hasn't been perfect.

The 2021 season is the perfect embodiment of the two sides of Murray. Before suffering an ankle injury that knocked him out for three weeks, Murray had led the Cardinals to a 7-1 record, while completing 72% of his passes with a 110.4 QB rating. When he came back, Murray's completion percentage dropped to 65.3%, while the Cardinals went 2-4 as he posted an 89.3 QB rating.

So, the Vikings are banking on a new, and arguably better, environment being the key to unlocking Murray's potential. They were also pretty confident in their environment and culture being easily translatable for whoever they threw in at quarterback, hence moving on from Sam Darnold in favor of McCarthy. We saw how that worked out in 2025.

If Murray is inconsistent, is that going to be enough for the Vikings to shell out a big contract for him?

In that case, what does McCarthy show in 2026 that gives Minnesota any inkling they can bank on him long-term? If McCarthy fails to win the job and is Murray's backup, that is yet another bad sign for his future in purple.

SI's Michael Rosenberg summed up the McCarthy scenario pretty well on Tuesday.

"When it comes to the specific task of getting the most out of whoever is playing quarterback, O’Connell is one of the top five head coaches in the NFL," wrote Rosenburg. "If O’Connell has privately said McCarthy will never be a viable starter, then he is probably right."

It may be harsh to judge McCarthy off of ten games and whatever scraps he gets in 2026. But if O'Connell isn't convinced by the progress McCarthy is making behind the scenes, and Murray fails to get the Vikings over the hump, then we're back to square one at the position heading into what's shaping up to be an all-time QB draft class.

ESPN's Jordan Reid labeled the Vikings as a "sleeper team" to take a quarterback in the 2027 draft. If Murray bolts and McCarthy doesn't evolve for the better, then you can rest assured that Minnesota will be targeting a QB, and possibly with a high pick if Murray and McCarthy aren't very good.

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