It’s actually hard to believe the Vikings finished last season with a 9-8 record considering the quarterback play they got from J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer.
The offense was a disaster pretty much whenever it took the field. The defense was forced to do almost all the heavy lifting. Most of the wins the Vikings notched felt like they came in spite of whoever was playing quarterback.
As the Vikings reflected on everything that went wrong at quarterback — which included letting Sam Darnold walk in free agency, then having him go on to win a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks — they publicly acknowledged they need more from the position.
Though they still haven’t given up on McCarthy so early in his career, the Vikings clearly want to light a fire under him. That explains why they have been linked to virtually every quarterback imaginable over the past few weeks.
There are a number of different routes the Vikings could choose to go down when free agency begins next week. They could target a known commodity that would step in as unquestioned starter, a veteran presence that would open the door for a legitimate competition, or a reclamation project that would offer little resistance.
Not that it should really even be much of a discussion.
If the Vikings want to compete, Kyler Murray is the obvious choice.
It has been reported that the former No. 1 overall pick will be released by the Arizona Cardinals next week. They will be on the hook for paying $36.8 million in guaranteed money for the divorce to be finalized. The offset language in the contract means Murray will almost certainly play on the league minimum wherever he decides to sign next.
That could open the door for the Vikings. There’s reportedly mutual interest. Some insiders believe the marriage is a foregone conclusion.
Never mind that Murray has failed to reach his full potential at this point in his career. He has a singular skill set that allows him to impact the game with his arm and his legs despite his undersized 5-foot-10, 210-pound frame.
That alone should make Murray the top priority for the Vikings. He’s the most talented quarterback they currently have at their disposal. It’s not particularly close.
The other quarterbacks that could possibly be had include Geno Smith, Daniel Jones, Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers, among a handful of others. None of them can touch Murray’s theoretical ceiling.
The basic stats speak themselves, even when taking into account some of Murray’s recent struggles that led to him being benched. He has completed 67.1% of his passes for 20,460 yards and 121 touchdowns in his career, while also rushing for 3,193 yards and 32 touchdowns.
It’s not hard to imagine Murray developing an instant connection getting to throw the ball to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. It’s also not hard to imagine Murray helping improve the ground game with his feel as a scrambler.
There have been various stretches during which Murray has been a top 10 quarterback. His lack of consistency has prevented him from sustaining that success. That’s something the Vikings will have to navigate if they end up signing him.
The juice is still worth the squeeze for the Vikings in this circumstance. It’s not often that somebody with the ability to be a top 10 quarterback makes it to the open market.
Who cares that Murray might not be a perfect fit?
There isn’t going to be somebody who checks every box for the Vikings. They wouldn’t be available if that were the case. There’s a reason some of the fantasy trades for the likes of Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert aren’t on the table.
There’s going to be a ton of pressure on Kevin O’Connell to get the Vikings back to the playoffs next season after miscalculating how ready McCarthy was to contribute at the highest level.
The best way to start the process of righting that wrong would be signing the most talented quarterback out there.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) runs from Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
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