Some of the questions about the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback situation are now over. Still, new questions will arise now, as a potential QB competition looms in the Twin Cities.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Vikings have signed Kyler Murray to a one-year contract. He's signing a minimum of $1.3 million for a veteran player, which is an incredible deal in a situation where the salaries of the highest-paid players approach $60 million.
School. pic.twitter.com/pluMd4wp0k
- Kyler Murray (@K1) 12 March 2026
According to Murray's agent Eric Burkhardt, a no-tag clause will be included in Murray's Vikings contract. This prevents the Vikings from making a transition or placing the franchise tag on him next offseason.
Of course, if all goes well, the Vikings and Murray could work on an extension before hitting the open market again. If not, Murray gets one season to prove his worth and maximize his value on the open market next year.
That means the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback enters the season as a motivated guy who wants to show that the Cardinals made a big mistake by moving on from their franchise QB. Murray has completed 67.1% of his passes for 20,460 yards, 121 touchdowns and 60 interceptions.
Still, Murray adds another element that the Vikings' offense hasn't seen since a short stint with Josh Dobbs following Kirk Cousins' injury in 2023. An uber-athlete who was even a top-ten pick in the MLB draft, Murray had 819 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 2020. Overall, he racked up 3,193 yards and 32 touchdowns on the ground, adding a unique aspect to Coach Minnesota's scoring attack.
Murray is entering an excellent situation playing for Kevin O'Connell, who also helped Sam Darnold maximize his potential. Plus, it never hurts to have Justin Jefferson, who is also joined by Jordan Addison and TJ Hockenson. Another option could be to move up to the middle rounds of the draft after losing Jalen Naylor to the Raiders in free agency.
Next, the focus will be on whether the 28-year-old Murray finds himself in competition with JJ McCarthy, the 10th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Still, the Vikings may not be ready to give up McCarthy, 23, but signing a proven seven-year veteran who has started all 87 games sends a strong signal that could send the 23-year-old to the bench.
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