Now that the Minnesota Vikings have signed quarterback Kyler Murray, the focus moves toward ensuring his turn as the starting quarterback is as successful as possible. And yes, unless he suffers a serious injury somewhere along the way, he will be the starter over J.J. McCarthy.
The idea of adding potential pieces around Murray naturally shifts to players he has a history with from his seven seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. Naturally, those who have a noticeably productive history with Murray move to the top of that list of options.
With that history in mind, Murray would become a natural recruiter and/or an influential voice in the Vikings' decisions to sign someone he knows well.
However casually or unintentionally, those players may also make their own case to reunite with Murray in Minnesota.
Former teammate of Kyler Murray could fit well with Minnesota Vikings
After a Baltimore Ravens fan on X used a clip of a touchdown from Week 1 last season to wonder about the team re-signing him this offseason, DeAndre Hopkins responded (since deleted) this way.
"...How many times after this do you think I was used in the red zone? When targeted I'm still one of the most productive but never complained with my snaps & never will. Facts!"
Hopkins set career lows across the board in a bit role (33 percent of the offensive snaps) for the Ravens last season.
He scored another touchdown in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, after the one in the season opener against the Bills, but he didn't have another touchdown the rest of the season.
Lamar Jackson missing four games didn't help, and both of those touchdowns were actually outside the red zone (29 and 23 yards, respectively).
Depending on the source, Hopkins had either two or three red zone targets last season. So his overall point about a lack of red zone usage stands.
Over three seasons in Arizona (2020-2022), mostly with Murray as his quarterback, and according to Pro Football Reference, Hopkins totaled 33 red zone targets in 35 games.
2021 was the peak of that scoring area rapport, when all eight of Hopkins' touchdowns came from the 20-yard line in, and he had 14 red zone targets in 10 games.
Hopkins' days as a high-end, target-hogging WR1 are done. But he averaged an even 15 yards per catch last season in a reduced role, and he was vastly underutilized close to the end zone.
Taking an opportunity to throw shade at the Ravens about his lack of red zone targets might as well be a call to the Vikings and Murray about bringing him to Minnesota.