In a move the NFL world has seen coming for a while now, the Arizona Cardinals cut ties with longtime starting quarterback Kyler Murray, who quickly thereafter signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. Was this a good deal for the Vikings? How about for Murray? We'll answer all that and more as we give out the grades for Kyler Murray signing with the Vikings in 2026 NFL free agency.
Minnesota Vikings
The last time the Vikings drafted a signal-caller in the first round who became their franchise QB was back in 1999 with Dante Culpepper. Before that, it was in 1977 with Tommy Kramer, and as Tony Kormheiser likes to say, “That's it. That's the list.” The only Hall of Fame QB the team ever drafted was Fran Tarkenton in the third round of the 1961 NFL Draft.
The various front offices in Minnesota have tried drafting QBs this century. Tavaris Jackson, Tyler Thigpen, John David Booty, Christian Ponder, Teddy Bridgewater, Nate Stanley, Kellen Mond, Jaren Hall, and now J.J. McCarthy have all walked through the doors and have all failed to one degree or another.
Because of this, the Vikings have had to piece together their quarterback situation through trades and NFL free agency for the majority of the franchise's existence. They have had success in this avenue over the years. Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, Kirk Cousins, and Sam Darnold have led Minnesota to some of its most successful seasons after making their way to the franchise.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell has actually made getting the best out of veteran QBs his specialty. Cousins posted his best record as a starter under O'Connell, and Darnold completely regained his confidence, having a great season with the Vikings before leading the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl.
The Vikings ultimately got rid of Darnold because they drafted Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, in a historic quarterback class, McCarthy seems like a bust due to injury and lack of experience. Signing Murray is a signal that O'Connell and the team are moving on from their draft mistake and going back to the veteran reclamation project format.
While the 5-foot-10 uber-athlete Murray and 6-foot-3 pocket passer Darnold seem, on the surface, to have little in common, the one thing they do share is their pedigree. Darnold was the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft after a standout career at USC. Murray was the No. 1 pick just a year later following his Heisman Trophy-winning season at Oklahoma.
In the 2026 free agency market, the QBs who have changed teams or are currently available include Tua Tagovailoa, Malik Willis, Gardner Minshew, and Russell Wilson, plus old friends Cousins and Bridgewater. Outside of Tua, no one has the draft pedigree that Murray has, and there are definitely none of these names that have the upside.
Murray turns 29 in August, and after a few rough years injury and performance-wise, he has a lot of tread on the tires playing in just 88 NFL games over seven seasons.
The Vikings' plan is to rehab another veteran QB with unrealized potential, and Murray has more of that than any other option in 2026. Plus, they signed him to a no-risk, one-year, $1.3 million contract. The only downside there is that if he does do well, they will have to pay him a lot more next year. If that happens, the Vikings will happily deal with that problem.
Grade: A-
Kyler Murray
The grade for Kyler Murray landing with the Vikings is a pretty straightforward case that earns high marks. With the Cardinals paying Murray roughly $36.8 million this season, money is no concern, so the value of the deal is in material. What is important is that it is a one-year contract. This will allow Murray to cash in next season if he and the Vikings have the type of year they both hope for.
As far as destinations, Murray needed to land with the best coach possible, in a situation where he would likely land the starting job, and have the best supporting cast possible around him. Check, check, and check in Minnesota.
Murray will only be competing with McCarthy, who is not ready for Prime Time at best. He also joins O'Connell, the quarterback whisperer, along with the best wide receiver in the NFL, Justin Jefferson. It doesn't get much better than that when it comes to opportunity, coach, and supporting cast.
Obviously, none of this guarantees success for Murray. It's going to take a lot of hard work to salvage his once-promising career. And that is asking for “hard work” from a player whose last contract had a clause dictating how much Call of Duty he was allowed to play during the season.
Still, Murray's best chance to get back on track comes with the Vikings, so he nailed this free agent choice.
Grade: A+
