After many weeks of speculation, this is the signing Minnesota Vikings fans have been waiting for. . .with different levels of anticipation. . .is now official.
The Vikings have signed former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray to a one-year contract. This. . .at least in theory. . .opens a quarterback competition between Murray and JJ McCarthy for the starting quarterback job for the Vikings in 2026, but it will likely be a “competition” in the same way Homer Simpson was allowed to compete with Daryl Strawberry for the starting right field spot on the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant softball team.
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Murray was the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the year after winning the Heisman Trophy at the University of Oklahoma. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and was named to the Pro Bowl twice, in 2020 and 2021.
In his seven seasons with the Cardinals, he started 87 games, completing 67.1 percent of his passes and throwing for just over 20,000 yards. He also threw 121 touchdown passes and 60 interceptions. Additionally, he also rushed for almost 3,200 yards and 31 more scores.
Murray has suffered from injuries in recent seasons. He tore his ACL late in the 2022 season, an injury that caused him to miss the first half of 2023. He also suffered a foot injury last season that placed him on injured reserve and limited him to just five games.
Financial terms of the deal have not yet been released, but it is very likely to be a veteran minimum of around $1.3 million, given the significant amount of money Murray still owes the Cardinals after his release.
Welcome to Minnesota, Kyler Murray!
