Report: Minnesota Vikings emerge as favorites to sign Kyler Murray

Just minutes after the 2026 NFL league year began, it was reported that the Minnesota Vikings are the favorites to land former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.

Murray was officially released by Arizona on Wednesday after spending his first seven seasons with the organization. Across those seven years, Murray recorded 20,460 passing yards (third most in team history) and 121 passing touchdowns (third most in team history). He played in just five games in 2025, passing for 962 yards and six touchdowns with three interceptions.

The former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback has failed to play in at least 10 games in two of his past three seasons, and Arizona has failed to make the postseason in four straight campaigns. A change of scenery was likely best for both parties.

The #Vikings plan to make a push for Kyler Murray and are the favorite to land the former No. 1 pick, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.

Finally released now by Arizona, Murray will take his time and wants to hear directly from other teams. But Minnesota is the team to beat. pic.twitter.com/lbOrX4tnKO

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2026

Kyler Murray signing puts future of J.J. McCarthy up in the air

If Murray does indeed join the Minnesota Vikings, that would certainly muddle the future for 2024 First Round NFL Draft selection J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy did not play in 2024 due to a torn meniscus in the preseason, but entered the 2025 season as Minnesota’s starter at quarterback. The front office decided to go all in on McCarthy and let Sam Darnold walk, a season after leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record.

While Darnold led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory, McCarthy struggled mightily in his true rookie season. The Michigan alum played in just 10 games, where he passed for 1,632 yards and 11 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. Minnesota was 6-4 in games he played in.

“It’s over for J.J. (McCarthy),” ESPN’s Louis Riddick said on Wednesday’s ‘NFL Live‘. “If they sign (Kyler Murray), it’s over. If you bring Kyler Murray in there, it’s a new system for him. He has to get reps. You have to actually see him take enough snaps with the starters in order to have enough intel to figure out whether to not ‘this is a guy who levels us up at this quarterback position’.

“Given what happened to them before with Sam (Darnold), if (Kyler) ends up winning the job and winds up playing well, they’re not gonna let him go. They’re gonna wind up saying ‘we need to figure this out now for the future and see how we keep him longterm’.

Murray has not yet officially signed with the Minnesota Vikings, but ESPN insider Adam Schefter claimed a source told him they would be ‘shocked’ if the deal doesn’t come to fruition in the near future.