The Minnesota Vikings had a busy offseason, looking to replace one general manager. They also shed several major salaries, but the Vikings believe they have found low-cost replacements for all of them.
While Jaune Jennings was more on the spendy side of things, even his $8 million base salary comes in at a bargain price, considering he recorded 975 yards and six touchdowns in 2024. Still just 28 years old, Jennings is expected to take over for last year's WR3 Jalen Naylor. While Jennings isn't as fast as "Speedy", he will be a better run blocker, and he is far more adept as a receiver.
Yet, even more than signing Jennings, the Vikings believe they made a steal by adding Kyler Murray at a bargain price of just $1.3 million, according to ESPN's NFL insider Jeremy Fowler. Although he has yet to play any actual games for Minnesota, the coaching staff is "thrilled" with Murray so far.
"He carries himself as an alpha; not in an egotistical way, just he has experience, he believes he can win that job over JJ McCarthy, guy. Also, the offensive coaches are thrilled with how he's attacked things, how he's been in meetings. So, they believe they've got a real steal here. There's a blueprint for Kyler Murray, based on what Daniel Jones did a year ago, somewhere new." Play, get a one-year deal, knock it out of the park and then get the big money as an established starter."
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Kyler Murray
The Vikings continue to paint a picture where Murray will compete with JJ McCarthy for the starting QB job in 2026. Still, on the outside, most expected the job to be lost to Murray, meaning McCarthy would have to come back significantly improved from his rookie year.
Still, Murray has proven to be far more so in live games, which will give him the edge until McCarthy proves otherwise. This can never happen. If that happens, Minnesota will have a nice problem with two competent starters instead of no one at all.
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