minnesota vikings Thursday could develop into a franchise-altering decision, Signature quarterback kyler murray To a one-year contract worth $1.3 million.
The deal was cheap because Murray was already guaranteed $36.8 million Arizona CardinalsWho released him on Wednesday. But if Murray replaces him the implications will be far-reaching JJ McCarthyThe No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft, who has started only 10 games in two seasons due to injuries.
Murray’s time with the Cardinals was certainly mixed, as he battled a torn right ACL that caused him to miss parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, as well as a foot injury that limited him to five games in 2025. He also faced questions about his leadership skills and work ethic, especially when the Cardinals “homework section“in his 2022 contract extension. (He later removed it amid public backlash.)
Vikings executives admitted in January that they wanted to add real competition for McCarthy, who finished his first – and perhaps only – season as a starter with a 35.6 QBR. He ranks 24th among 26 quarterbacks who started at least 10 games in 2025. But Murray, the No. 1 pick of the 2019 draft, who has scored 153 touchdowns in his career, represents more than competition.
ESPN Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert, Cardinals reporter Josh Weinfuss, NFL national analyst Ben Solak and fantasy analyst Matt Bowen examine the results, including what it means for McCarthy’s NFL future and the fantasy values of Murray and the receiver. Justin Jefferson.
How motivated will Murray be to take advantage of the new start?
Murray has a lot to prove. His time in Arizona was unfulfilling from both a production and wins standpoint. He’s heard the criticism over the years that he’s too small or runs too high or doesn’t run enough or can’t win big games — and he’s ready to show the rest of the NFL that he can actually be a productive quarterback.
Going 38-48-1 in seven NFL seasons hasn’t been easy for Murray. Although he has become accustomed to the fact that losing is part of the NFL, he never got used to losing. According to a source, Murray wants to play for a team where he can win quickly and believes they have the infrastructure to do so both on the field and organizationally. — Wenfus
How will Murray fit into coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense?
no way. O’Connell’s system has been appropriately described as an under-center offense that often targets the intermediate middle of the field. Murray is not a player who has been under center for most of his career. When he first started in the league, he was in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, which operated almost exclusively from the shotgun. Under Drew Petzing, Murray often lined up under center but still never excelled in throws over the middle. It’s harder for smaller quarterbacks to reach those throws.
But O’Connell is a sharp coach. He won’t run the same things for Murray — who is hypermobile with a quick release and a great vertical ball — as he did for the former starter. cancer cousinWhose strengths and weaknesses are almost diametrically opposite.
Also for McCarthy last season, O’Connell discontinued some intermediate in-breaking routes in favor of out-breaking routes that were easier to see and throw. A similar adjustment could be made for Murray as the new addition figures out how to run this offense. –Solak
What is your level of optimism that Murray can revive his career with the Vikings?
quite high. Murray’s play in Arizona was never as bad as was suggested. For most of his career, the Cardinals lacked the defensive talent or offensive line play required to keep up with playoff contenders, and Murray is not the kind of elite talent who can make up for that lack in the group. Assuming he returns from there leg injury That limited him to five games last season with the same level of quickness and suddenness, he remains a dynamic play-extender. Paired with O’Connell in Minnesota, he also has a great opportunity to become a system quarterback. Murray won’t need to create all the explosive plays himself.
There were questions in Arizona about Murray’s off-field habits (read: he played a lot of video games). But if Minnesota’s approach inspires him, we may soon see an above-average starting quarterback once again. –Solak
Will it be an open contest between Murray and McCarthy?
O’Connell has said that he believes the stiff competition for the position will help McCarthy advance if nothing else. He never said he wanted McCarthy to be his starter, but he also never said he wanted to replace him. On Thursday night, he said: “Unless I’m confused in any way, shape or form, I don’t believe we have to name either one of them at present.”
But the history of both players, and the amount of ground McCarthy will need to gain in the coming months, makes Murray the strong favorite to be the starting quarterback in Week 1.
It’s certainly possible that O’Connell will give both players first-team reps in OTAs and training camp. No matter how O’Connell presents it publicly, or what he displays during open practices, there is a knowing set of collective eyes in the Vikings’ veteran locker room. They will know what is happening.
In his worst NFL season, Murray has played better than McCarthy last season. McCarthy has the benefit of familiarity with the Vikings’ offense, and Murray will face a steep learning curve in that area. However, for McCarthy it’s not just a matter of performance.
He will also have to show that he has made significant changes to his playing style to avoid the injuries that have plagued his career to this point. If the Vikings’ goal is to hire the starting quarterback that gives them the best chance to make the playoffs in 2026, almost everyone inside and outside the franchise knows the bet is on Murray. — Seifert
What does this mean for McCarthy’s long-term growth and future?
It’s always possible that McCarthy becomes excited by this decision and performs so strongly in training camp that the Vikings have no choice but to make him their starter. But assuming Murray wins the job, the recent history of such moves does not bode well for McCarthy’s future with the Vikings.
Since the turn of this century, there has been no precedent for a top-10 ranked quarterback being replaced in the offseason and then reclaiming his starter role in a future season with his original team.
There are some unique circumstances surrounding McCarthy’s time in the NFL, the most notable being the number of injuries. But history tells us that NFL teams give high-end prospects too much time to develop and prove themselves unless they have the experience to immediately burn them out.
Only three quarterbacks drafted in the first round at any time since 2000 have had fewer than 10 starts with the team that drafted them: san francisco 49ers‘ trey lance, paxton lynch of denver broncos And johnny manziel of cleveland browns. There’s still a lot to be determined, but that’s the historical parameter facing the Vikings and McCarthy. — Seifert
What this means for the fantasy value of Murray, Jefferson and jordan addison?
If Murray is named the starter in McCarthy’s place this season, there are plenty of fantasies about Murray in Minnesota. Murray’s dual-threat ability – five seasons of 400 or more rushing yards – keeps him in the lower-tier QB1 discussion. And O’Connell’s system involves schematic concepts, so Murray will have more opportunities to get into a rhythm with play-action, bootlegs and scripted shot plays down the field.
This is a QB-friendly system that will create consistent opportunities for Jefferson to return as a high-end WR1, while Addison can produce WR3 numbers. — Bowen
Who will replace Murray as the Cardinals’ starting QB?
It depends on who you ask.
Arizona agreed to a one-year deal Gardner Minshew and already have Jacoby Brissett Under contract through 2026. So, unless the Cardinals go out and bring in another quarterback, it will be one of those two. However, the question is which one.
A source told ESPN this week that Brissett has not yet been told he is the starting quarterback. This is despite multiple reports that Arizona’s quarterback depth chart would be Brissett as QB1 and Minshew as QB2.
Drafting a quarterback is also a possibility, though it’s unlikely to happen in the first round unless Arizona plans to move around the board to get one. Drafting a QB at No. 3 Doesn’t seem likely. — Wenfus
