Kyler Murray’s future with the Arizona Cardinals continues to hang in the balance after losing the starting quarterback role during the 2025 season. With a new coach coming on board at the franchise, the widespread belief is that the 2019 No. 1 pick’s time with the team is over.
ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler has named the Minnesota Vikings as a potential destination for Murray if he doesn’t continue with the Cardinals in 2026. Fowler detailed the quarterback’s contract situation on Saturday, hinting at the potential resolution between him and the team.
“This is certainly one to watch. He would be one of the top quarterbacks available via trade or release if that goes down, and most around the league do expect that to go down, and he’ll be available,” Fowler said on “SportsCenter” (h/t Bleacher Report).
“He’s got the high guarantees of nearly $40 million, all of that triggers by mid-March. So, they have to come to a resolution here in the coming weeks. He wants to go to a winner, that’s what he wants. So, you figure maybe Minnesota could be an option for him. We’ll see what happens.”
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After J.J. McCarthy failed to impress in the 2025 season, Minnesota have frequently been mentioned as a potential suitor for a new quarterback this offseason. The Vikings, which have a $6.25 billion valuation according to Forbes, are now one of the top destinations for Kyler Murray.
ESPN analyst projects how the Vikings will address quarterback situation amid Kyler Murray links
According to SKOR North’s Phil Mackey, Kyler Murray has shown interest in joining the Vikings in the upcoming season. While the exact stance of the team remains unknown, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert anticipates that the Vikings will make an aggressive push for a new quarterback.
“In the big picture, McCarthy is a talented player who just turned 23 and has a total of 10 NFL starts,” Seifert wrote in an ESPN report. “Few NFL teams would give up on a quarterback with that profile, and many team builders are particularly enamored with optimizing a quarterback’s rookie contract.
“Adofo-Mensah was one of them, but his departure is a reminder of the range of outcomes that approach can lead to. If anything, these events increase the chances that the Vikings will take a big swing at finding a veteran quarterback who could start in 2026.”
It remains to be seen whether or not the Vikings will consider bringing in Kyler Murray this offseason. The team has already been linked to a host of other names, including Kirk Cousins, Geno Smith, Mac Jones and a host of others as per Yahoo Sports.