Don’t Sleep on the Vikings in the Kyler Murray Sweepstakes
The Arizona Cardinals are probably nearing a divorce with Kyler Murray in the offseason, as that franchise will have a high draft pick, and seven seasons with Murray haven’t quite panned out. The man will have suitors.
The Minnesota Vikings are a real factor in the Kyler Murray sweepstakes, with multiple offseason angles putting them firmly in the mix.
The Minnesota Vikings are in the middle of quarterback woes — terrible ones — and may need a passer like Murray if J.J. McCarthy shows no signs of growth in the next month.
So, here’s a look at landing spots for Murray, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = top Murray landing spot).
Top Landing Spots for Kyler Murray in 2026
The Murray Sweepstakes is just around the corner.
7. Cleveland Browns
The Browns are not at the top (bottom?) of this list for one reason: Cleveland is still on the hook for $131 million in dead cap next offseason if it wishes to cut ties with Deshaun Watson. Four years removed from the heinous trade, Watson remains a scourge for the Browns’ budget.
Murray earns $46.1 million per season, and unless general manager Andrew Berry has a wild trick up his sleeve, he cannot afford Watson and Murray during the offseason. How could he?
Until they’re not, the Browns are stuck with Watson.
6. New Orleans Saints
New Orleans earns a mention for one reason: if it decides that Shough is not the path forward, the Saints will need an eventual quarterback solution. They have not found one in a half-decade since Drew Brees called it quits.
In all likelihood, the Saints will give Shough the benefit of the doubt in 2026, and if that doesn’t pan out, explore the Arch Manning sweepstakes in 2027. But they’re mentioned here just in case Shough doesn’t show enough promise in the final five games.
Always remember: Shough is 26 years old. He should be close to a finished product, at least more than 21- or 22-year-old rookies.
5. Indianapolis Colts
Want an unpopular opinion? The Colts’ once-promising, Super Bowl-sights season is fading. Indianapolis finally started playing formidable opponents — and promptly began stacking losses. The franchise has fallen out of first place in the AFC South and lives in the AFC’s No. 5 Wildcard seed.
Keep in mind: the Colts are built to win this season and next, evidenced by the incredibly risky and splashy Sauce Gardner trade last month. They don’t have time to draft a rookie next offseason and keep the alleged Super Bowl window open.
There’s also the recognition that Daniel Jones is beginning to fade a bit.
Daniel Jones,
EPA+CPOE,
NFL Ranking in 2025:
Week 1-8: 4th
Week 9-14: 25th
The Colts’ quarterback coach, Cameron Turner, held the same job in Arizona a few years ago. He coached — you guessed it — Kyler Murray.
4. Minnesota Vikings
J.J. McCarthy is struggling. And not like everyday rookie struggles — historically awful performance.
Vikings history is peppered with rookie quarterback draft misses, which opened lanes for veterans like Kirk Cousins, Randall Cunningham, and the lone Brett Favre season. In that context, pivoting to Murray fits the franchise pattern, especially for a team that rarely commits to full teardowns.
Drafting another quarterback in Rounds 1 through 3 is an option, but the question lingers: Will ownership trust Adofo-Mensah with that swing after the McCarthy outcome? And will the Wilfs even greenlight it? They might not.
Mark and Zygi Wilf could decide Adofo-Mensah gets one offseason to fix the roster without adding another early-round passer. That responsibility may fall to the next general manager, which circles Adofo-Mensah back to Murray as the fallback path.
Another question is whether Minnesota’s cash-strapped budget could afford Murray. A player, down the line, like Jordan Addison, could be a casualty as a result.
Still, all roads lead to Murray if the Vikings want a proven, productive quarterback alongside McCarthy in 2026.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers claimed during the summer that he would retire after this season.
His team has recently lost control of first place in the AFC North, and Rodgers has personally tailed off amid some injuries. If Rodgers makes good on his one-hit wonder promise, Pittsburgh will need a quarterback in 2026, holstering a draft pick in the middle of Round 1. Not ideal.
Murray could head to the Steelers in the vein of Russell Wilson in 2024 and Rodgers in 2025.
Not for nothing, he could cook there.
2. New York Jets
The Jets always — habitually — fail to competently solve the QB1 riddle. They failed yet again in 2025 with Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor.
New York will probably end the 2025 campaign with a 2026 Top 5 draft pick. If the Jets don’t want a rookie quarterback — they’ll probably pick the wrong guy because that’s what they do — Murray represents the wisest QB1 fix in the 2026 offseason.
Murray is the better version of Justin Fields — one who completes passes more efficiently.
1. Las Vegas Raiders
Re-read the Jets analysis, rinse, and repeat.
After Derek Carr, the Raiders, too, have floundered at addressing the QB1 position. Geno Smith, very vividly, is not the answer.
Las Vegas has the running back in Ashton Jeanty and the defensive pieces to turn around a program in one offseason. It just needs a quarterback. Perhaps Tom Brady can sway Murray to Raider Nation.
According to oddsmakers, the Raiders are the current favorite to swing a trade for Murray.
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