A season marred by poor play and a multitude of injuries for J.J. McCarthy is bringing the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback position into question ahead of the offseason. That cocktail could also launch the Vikings straight into the conversation to land two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray.
Rightfully so, of course, as McCarthy already missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a torn meniscus. At this point, it’s fair for team brass to wonder whether or not the 23-year-old they drafted with the 10th overall pick can blossom into the face of the franchise.
A Former Pro Bowl QB Could Catch Vikings’ Eye
For as much uncertainty as is looming over McCarthy and the Vikings, the same can be said for Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals. The former 1st overall pick is likely to have played his last down in Arizona, and, in the eyes of many, a divorce appears to be on the horizon.
Murray is coming off a year in which he was shelved for the majority of the campaign, paving the way for his backup, Jacoby Brissett, to take the reins. He did so valiantly, throwing 23 touchdowns to just 8 interceptions to go along with 3,366 yards across 12 starts. The Cardinals, however, were 1-11 in those games.
They hold the 3rd overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, and while they may opt to keep Brissett under center in 2026, allowing a rookie quarterback to develop on the bench in the meantime could be the best route for the organization.
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Nevertheless, they’ll have to determine how to separate themselves from Murray, and considering the massive contract that’s attached to him, a trade feels unlikely.
In an appearance on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd on Monday, NFL insider Albert Breer predicted that the Cardinals will ultimately release Murray. “I think it probably makes it more likely Arizona just flat out has to move on from him and cut him and let him go to the market,” Breer said.
“It probably makes it more likely that Arizona just flat out has to move off of him and cut him…”@colincowherd and @AlbertBreer talk about what will happen with Cardinals QB Kyler Murray pic.twitter.com/F6x4iMut2Q
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 16, 2026
He added, “I think he will find a place that will view him as that reclamation project. Maybe it’s Minnesota, maybe it’s the Jets, we’ll see. The contract situation makes it a little harder for the Cardinals to hang onto him and a little harder for the Cardinals to trade him, which makes it more likely they’ll cut him.”
Complex Contract Makes Kyler Murray Untradeable
Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million extension to remain with the Cardinals in the summer of 2022 after back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. Since cashing in, Murray has played a full 17-game season just once and participated in only 41 games of a possible 68. In games Murray has started in that span, the Cardinals are 16-25.
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If Murray remained on the Cardinals’ roster in 2026, he’d carry a cap hit that falls just north of $52.6 million, which consumes more than 17.3% of the team’s cap, according to Spotrac.
Assuming he hits the open market, any team that intends to sign him will be able to negotiate a new, much more friendly deal, but that cap hit is enough to scare teams off.
A release is also likely because the Cardinals will have to pay his full 2027 guaranteed base salary of $19.5 million if he’s still on the roster by the start of the new league year in March.
When Murray is healthy and playing at his best, it’s fair to say that he’s one of the ten best quarterbacks in the league. Someone as dynamic as he’s shown could be a major lift to a Vikings offense that ranked 28th in PFSN NFL Offense Impact rankings in the 2025-26 season while cycling through a carousel of quarterbacks.
Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer combined for seven starts while McCarthy rehabbed various injuries, including a hairline fracture in his throwing hand.
