Vikings emerge as 'overwhelming favorite' to land Kyler Murray after Cardinals release: report
Kyler Murray’s time with the Arizona Cardinals is officially over after the team released him at the start of the new league year Wednesday.
Murray is now a free agent who can speak with any team who may want his services in 2026 and beyond. But it looks like one team is going to be heavily pursuing the former No. 1 overall pick.
The Minnesota Vikings, despite having 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy entering his third season with the club, are the "overwhelming favorite" to sign Murray, according to ESPN.
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McCarthy, who didn’t play his rookie year due to a season-ending injury in the preseason, got his first taste of regular-season NFL football in 2025. But McCarthy struggled despite a 6-4 record in 10 games. Injuries cost him time yet again.
With McCarthy’s status uncertain in Minnesota, it appears head coach Kevin O’Connell and the rest of the organization are looking for a veteran who could possibly step in while McCarthy develops.
Murray could be that signal-caller after a roller-coaster seven-year tenure with Arizona, going 38-48-1 in 87 games. He apologized to Cardinals fans last week, confirming the team’s intentions to release him despite still owing him $36.8 million in guaranteed money from his five-year, $230.5 million extension he signed in 2022.
ATHLETICS GM ‘ALWAYS OPEN’ TO KYLER MURRAY REUNION AHEAD OF EXPECTED CARDINALS RELEASE
"To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you," Murray wrote on X. "I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77-year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best.
"I am no stranger to adversity, I am prepared for whatever’s next. I trust in God and my work ethic. I truly believe my best ball is in front of me and I look forward to proving it. Godspeed."
Murray, 28, has had an up-and-down NFL career thus far, and injuries and inconsistent play have been a storyline he couldn’t shake despite games when he proved why the team loved him as the first overall pick.
Last season, Murray went 2-3 in his five games, throwing for six touchdowns and three interceptions before a foot injury knocked him out the rest of the way. Jacoby Brissett, who figures to take over as the team’s starter in the second year of the two-year deal he signed last offseason with the franchise, took over for Murray and thrived despite what the record said. He threw for a career-high 3,366 yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The Cardinals, though, finished 3-14, and the franchise went in a different direction and fired head coach Jonathan Gannon. Mike LaFleur, who served as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator, is his replacement heading into 2026.
Early in his Cardinals tenure, Murray was a player to build around after making back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2020 and 2021, the latter of which he threw for 3,787 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 423 yards with five scores on the ground. He also rushed for 819 yards with 11 rushing scores in 2020, a part of his game that made him so electric.
Injuries, though, have hampered Murray’s career, including a torn ACL in Week 14 of the 2022 season that resulted in him missing nine games in 2023. Then, after a full 17-game season in 2024, he injured a foot.
With quarterback-needy teams like the Miami Dolphins (Malik Willis) and New York Jets (Geno Smith) already filling their depth chart earlier this week, the Vikings seem to be the best option if Murray is looking for a fresh start with a chance to make the playoffs.
It’s also worth noting the Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t have a starting quarterback for next season as they seemingly await word on what Aaron Rodgers wants to do in 2026.
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