Kyler Murray has signed a one-year veteran minimum contract with the Minnesota Vikings.
While the J.J. McCarthy experience hasn’t necessarily been a failure, it’s been hard to watch the lackluster QB play on a team that otherwise looks ready to win it all. Now it’s Murray’s turn to try to lock down the position after the Vikings have rotated through quarterbacks since Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles in Week 8 of 2023.
After Cousins suffered his season-ending injury in 2023, no starter has lasted more than one season. Meanwhile, the Vikings are in win-now mode, given they have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at receiver and Brian Flores leading the defense. Therefore, there is even more pressure on Murray.
However, the Vikings must address the one piece of red tape both sides agreed to, as well as the question of what happens if Murray goes down and what this signing means for 2027.
The red tape
Murray’s deal is super team-friendly because the Arizona Cardinals are on the hook for more than $35 million. Still, there is one aspect of this deal that could be easily overlooked: Murray has a no-tag clause.
That means that no matter how 2026 pans out for Murray and the Vikings, Murray is guaranteed to be a free agent again after 2026. If Murray doesn’t succeed, this part of the contract may not matter. However, if Murray plays well, things could become messy for the Vikings.
Should Murray succeed, the team could still retain him. However, Murray would have leverage in contract negotiations. There’s a chance they have to pay Murray top dollar rather than place the franchise tag on him, potentially saving the organization money, especially if they have a top-five player at his position.
While Murray will likely be Minnesota’s Day 1 starter, what is the plan if Murray can’t stay healthy?
Contingency plan
Since entering the league as the first-overall pick in 2019, Kyler Murray has been healthy for a full season only twice, in 2020 and 2024. Adding the injury-prone Murray to a team that appears less than enthusiastic about McCarthy could create a potential headache should Murray get injured again.
The Vikings still have Max Brosmer and reportedly will bring back Carson Wentz. Still, neither is a reliable starter. Add in Murray and McCarthy, and Brosmer will likely begin the year on the practice squad, if they don’t release him.
Three of Minnesota’s four QBs have health concerns. Wentz, 33, suffered a shoulder injury in London and ended up needing season-ending surgery. Granted, it was in his non-throwing shoulder, but Wentz’s injury history is a concern if an injury to Murray presses him into action.
At this point, anyone the team goes after will have red flags. It’s a matter of Minnesota’s risk tolerance with each player. If the Vikings try to obtain another quarterback, their focus should be on the future.
Future focus
While Murray’s signing helps the Vikings in 2026, it could create an issue in the future.
McCarthy and Brosmer have only one more year on their contracts beyond this season. As a first-round pick, McCarthy has a club option after 2027, and Brosmer would be a restricted free agent. The Vikings also haven’t signed Wentz yet and seem hesitant to bring in another quarterback to challenge McCarthy for the backup spot.
If Murray stays healthy and chooses to leave after this season, the team is right back where they started before this offseason, if not in a bit worse situation. There will be questions around McCarthy’s ability, with little to no time to get him right.
Meanwhile, if the Vikings try to find another quarterback they can sign long-term, the question then becomes whether McCarthy’s days with the organization are numbered.
Suppose the Vikings decide that another QB, like Anthony Richardson, would have a higher upside than McCarthy. Would that be enough for the Vikings to take a chance and potentially trade McCarthy in favor of Richardson? Or they try for somebody more proven who’s more and is likely to stay in Minnesota longer?
The Vikings seem to be on the precipice of doing something extremely special, especially given the talent on both sides of the ball. However, the way they’ve handled the QB situation seems almost like a band-aid to save jobs and not waste another year of Justin Jefferson.
While the decision to sign Kyler Murray was good in the short term, how long can the team expect to kick the QB can down the road?
