After weeks of speculation and rumors, Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray and the Minnesota Vikings have finally agreed to a one-year contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday.
Murray was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday after spending the first seven seasons of his NFL career with the franchise. Earlier this year, the Cardinals hired Mike LaFleur as their new head coach, and shortly after, it was revealed that Arizona would be moving on from Murray this offseason.
In his seven years with the Cardinals, the former No. 1 overall pick completed 67.1 percent of his passes for a total of 20,460 yards, 121 touchdowns, and 60 interceptions while also rushing for 3,193 yards and another 32 scores.
Minnesota Vikings sign former Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray
While Minnesota has stated multiple times this offseason that they wanted to bring in competition for quarterback J.J. McCarthy this year, it's safe to say Murray has already been penciled in as the team's starting signal-caller for next season.
And this doesn't mean the Vikings are closing the door on McCarthy, but it's been clear since the conclusion of the 2025 season that Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell just wants someone who can run his offense properly.
Now, O'Connell will still have to make some adjustments to his offense to fit Murray's skill set, but there are already plenty of things that he does well that will be an upgrade over McCarthy's current capabilities.
Murray has been very accurate in his career, he throws a catchable ball (which should bring a giant smile to Justin Jefferson's face), and his mobility has allowed him to have a lower sack rate than Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hurts in the last four seasons.
Who knows what will happen in 2027, but Murray's arrival has a chance to turn the 2026 Vikings into the latest Minnesota team to go on an unexpected run with a retread quarterback.