The Arizona Cardinals have had up-and-down seasons since drafting Kyler Murray with the first pick in the 2019 draft, and last season may have been one of the worst. Arizona struggled, and at one point, the offense looked better with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback than with Murray.
Clearly, both sides needed to make a change. Now Murray is on the market, and one team is leading the charge for his signature.
Insider Puts Vikings at the Top of the List for Kyler Murray’s Next Destination
Speaking of teams that had a disappointing 2025, the Minnesota Vikings have to be mentioned. After finishing 14-3 in 2024 with QB Sam Darnold, the expectation was that second-year QB J.J. McCarthy could take over and lead the Vikings to even more success. Instead, McCarthy struggled mightily, ranking 37th in PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, and the Vikings ended the season 9-8.
With Minnesota being a win-now team, a finish like this is unacceptable, and this coaching staff may not be patient with McCarthy, which is why they have been mentioned in many QB conversations.
According to NFL Insider Tom Pelissero, the Vikings are expected to target Murray, and they are the favorite to get that done.
The Vikings plan to make a push for Kyler Murray and are the favorite to land the former No. 1 overall pick, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
Finally released today by Arizona, Murray will take his time and wants to speak with interested teams. But Minnesota is the team to beat. pic.twitter.com/ke2A5P4Cay
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 11, 2026
With Murray released as soon as the new league year began, he can now talk with teams, and for the Vikings, it seems they want him as their QB in 2026. Murray, being a former first overall pick, does mean something. He has the talent to have success in the NFL, but it just never happened in Arizona.
Last season, Murray was ranked 21st in PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, and although that is nothing to write home about, that could be enough for the Vikings.
The 28-year-old quarterback can make big plays and use his mobility to keep defenses on their toes, but for the Vikings, they will just need him to run the offense better than McCarthy did. Also, with the Cardinals paying Murray for 2026, the Vikings can sign him to a minimum contract.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
