For the last seven years, the Arizona Cardinals haven't exactly been one of the most popular franchises in the NFL. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that there is a bunch of uncertainty surrounding former Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray as he heads into his first season as the starting signal-caller for the Minnesota Vikings.
Despite making a pair of Pro Bowls, winning the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2019, and throwing for more yards and touchdowns than any other Arizona quarterback since 1988, some are unsure if Murray will be able to play at a high level in an offense with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and more.
Murray's accomplishments with the Cardinals might have snuck under the rug for the last handful of years, but if he succeeds with Minnesota in 2026, he has the potential to be one of the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL.
FanSided QB Rankings have Kyler Murray right outside the top 20 heading into the 2026 season with the Minnesota Vikings
FanSided.com recently published a ranking of every single quarterback in the NFL heading into the 2026 season (yes, even Max Brosmer), and Murray's landing spot really speaks volumes about how the general public is significantly underestimating his potential for this year.
Right behind Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers and just ahead of Daniel Jones of the Indianapolis Colts is where Murray can be found with a ranking of 21st in the league.
The rankings were also broken up into tiers, and Minnesota's new passer landed in the "Game Manager" tier, which is the fifth-highest tier in the rankings.
Some other quarterbacks who earned higher rankings than Murray, in addition to Rodgers, were Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos, C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans, Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles, and, of course, Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks.
Those quarterbacks were solid in 2025 (not Rodgers), but Nix, Stroud, Hurts, and Darnold all benefitted from the same thing last season: playing on a team with a defense that ranked among the top five in the entire NFL in points allowed.
Murray has never (heavy emphasis on the never) played on a team with a defense that ranked higher than 11th in points allowed during his entire pro career.
That happened all the way back in 2021, oh, and what a coincidence, that was the season when he helped lead Arizona to an 11-6 record, their best record during his seven years with the franchise.
Imagine what Murray could do if he had the luxury of playing for a team with dependable defense. Luckily, he should be able to find out this season, as Minnesota's defense is coming off back-to-back years ranking among the top seven in points allowed.
If the Vikings' defense continues to perform at a high level under Brian Flores in 2026, it should give Murray plenty of opportunities to prove that he's deserving of a much better ranking than 21st this season.
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