Plot Thickens for Possible Vikings QB Target
For a day, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy looked the part of a franchise quarterback. But just before, a possible McCarthy alternative in 2026 was ruled out for the rest of the season: Kyler Murray.
A possible Vikings QB target is now out for the year, and his situation could make him surprisingly gettable in the upcoming offseason.
If McCarthy returns to his rudderless ways before the end of the season, the franchise may have no choice but to explore a different avenue, and Murray’s plot thickened over the weekend.
Theoretical Vikings Target Kyler Murray Now on the Shelf for the Rest of 2025
The strangeness in Arizona continues.
Murray Could Be Done for Good in Arizona
Murray won’t play again in 2025, and he may have reached the end of the road in Glendale.
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss wrote Friday, “Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will not return for the rest of the season as his foot injury hasn’t progressed to the point where he could play, coach Jonathan Gannon said Friday. Murray got another opinion on the injury Wednesday.”
“Gannon said it took place out-of-state, which caused the quarterback to be away from the facility for the day. Murray also had more tests done, which factored into the decision for him not to return. Murray’s future with the Cardinals has been a topic of speculation this season. Asked if he thinks Murray will be the Cardinals’ quarterback next season, Gannon didn’t have an answer.”
Arizona will presumably finish the season with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback inside a wretched 3-10 season.
Why Murray for the Vikings?
Arizona pulled the plug on Murray’s season this week because of a foot issue. The “soft benching” theory from November — Murray sidelined so Brissett could run the show — never really got refuted by the Cardinals. Their silence spoke volumes. Everyone now treats it as fact: Murray has likely thrown his final pass for Arizona. Seven years, little return.
Enter Minnesota — a team getting clunky quarterback play that is tanking the 2025 operation. McCarthy’s seven starts have swung from flashes to flatline, with no steady middle. His inconsistency has turned into the defining trait of his year, and it’s baffling. Week 14 versus Washington was a high point.
Sooner or later — late December, February, whenever — the Vikings must decide if McCarthy has earned trust as the starter for 2026. If that choice landed today, the answer is a maybe.
The organization’s history is packed with patchwork quarterback plans: Kirk Cousins, Randall Cunningham, Brett Favre — quick fixes to buy another year of relevance. Swapping McCarthy for Murray would fit that well-worn blueprint.
Drafting a new quarterback in April makes theoretical sense, but would ownership let Kwesi Adofo-Mensah chase another Round 1 passer after possibly misfiring on McCarthy? That question gets loud fast.
That’s where Murray becomes the savior. He’s the one attainable quarterback with legit ceiling, and his market value has never been lower.
McCarthy Said Not So Fast
Thankfully for the anti-Murray crowd among Vikings fans — that group is huge — McCarthy balled out on Sunday against Washington.
He accounted for 3 touchdowns and no turnovers, showcasing his finest game as a pro — by a mile. Before Sunday, McCarthy had struggled about 95% of the time. If he stacks improvements in the next four games, Minnesota won’t need Murray. It would need a high-end backup quarterback, an insurance policy, in 2026. Not Murray. Think: Jameis Winston, Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo, or Russell Wilson.
New Team for Murray Feels Inevitable
The Cardinals can trade Murray in the offseason with “only” a $17 million dead cap penalty. Most franchise quarterbacks would incur a dead cap charge of more than $50 million.
Fansided‘s Christopher Kline recently wrote about Murray’s upcoming split from Arizona, “Kyler Murray has been out since Week 5 as he recovers (rather slowly) from a foot injury. Initially expected to miss only a couple of games, Murray is now done for the season — and his future with the Arizona Cardinals is up in the air.”
“Not exactly nipping those rumors in the bud. Murray is under contract through 2027, with a $53 million cap hit in 2026. That could complicate potential trade negotiations, but that’s pretty much the market rate for all established quarterbacks these days. The former No. 1 pick, a two-time Pro Bowl QB, has a solid reputation in the league.”
Arizona could also release Murray, creating a free-for-all among quarterback-needy teams in free agency. Depending on McCarthy’s status by the time the offseason rolls around, Minnesota could be a player in the Murray Sweepstakes.
Kline added, “Health continues to be an issue, but when healthy, Murray offers a unique blend of mobility and arm talent. Jacoby Brissett, meanwhile, has performed well in Murray’s stead, completing 67.5 percent of his passes and averaging 243.1 passing yards per game.”
“Arizona is 1-6 in Brissett’s seven starts, but he’s moving the chains efficiently and he’s not really the primary source of blame for the Cardinals’ overall struggles. Arizona might prefer Brissett and his $7 million cap hit next season. In fact, that is almost certainly the case.”
Overall, Murray has likely played his final game in Arizona, and the Vikings could, in theory, need a quarterback in 2-3 months. The clues are there if McCarthy doesn’t stack competent performances in the next four weeks.
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