The worst-kept secret of the NFL offseason became official on Thursday when the Minnesota Vikings landed quarterback Kyler Murray on a one-year contract. As soon as the Arizona Cardinals made the decision to move on from Murray, the Vikings seemed like the most obvious landing spot given that they were probably just a quarterback away from being a potential Super Bowl team in the NFC.
It is a sensible move for the Vikings and Murray as it gives both parties exactly what they needed.
It also puts enormous pressure on both to deliver, because both Murray and the Vikings are now out of excuses.
Kyler Murray, Vikings will both be facing big expectations
The 2025 season turned out to be a bitter disappointment for the Vikings as they went from a 14-3 team in 2024, to a team that missed the playoffs entirely just one year later. The decision to move on from veteran quarterback Sam Darnold in favor of former top-10 pick J.J. McCarthy was one of the biggest driving forces behind that regression.
It was a decision that only looked worse in hindsight as Darnold led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win.
McCarthy’s continued injury issues, combined with his lack of development, helped sink the Vikings’ season and held back a team with a top-10 defense and one of the league’s best wide receiver duos in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
They clearly needed to do something different at quarterback.
They did.
