If the Minnesota Vikings learned anything in the last two months, it’s that they might need a better fallback plan at quarterback next offseason. The club hopped, skipped, and jumped between Brett Rypien, Sam Howell, and Carson Wentz in the last nine months, only to settle on rookie Max Brosmer at QB2 by the middle of the season.
Of course, J.J. McCarthy will be the Vikings’ QB1 in 2026, but as a contingency plan, a new name has entered the chat, with the offseason a few months away.
And as the club embarks on the offseason in about three months, it appears Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray could be available as the almighty contingency plan.
Vikings QB Options Could Include Kyler Murray if Disaster Strikes
Hear us out.
Kyler Murray Injured and Perhaps Softly Benched in Arizona
QB2 Jacoby Brissett will get an extended look under center for the Cardinals.
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss wrote Tuesday, “Quarterback Jacoby Brissett will get his fourth straight start for the Cardinals on Sunday in Seattle against the Seahawks, Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon said Tuesday. The decision means Kyler Murray will remain on the sideline as he continues his recovery from a foot injury that has kept him out since Oct. 5.”
“Gannon initially said after Arizona’s 27-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night that ‘nothing’s changed’ in terms of his starting quarterback, meaning Brissett would back up Murray once he is fully healed. But Gannon said Tuesday he likes how well the offense is operating under Brissett’s guidance.”
The internet spent the rest of the day debating whether Murray had been kindly benched in favor of Brissett, mainly because the offense has run more efficiently with Brissett in charge.
What Happens if McCarthy Suffers Another Serious Injury?
When you scanned this article’s headline and introduction, you probably thought something to the effect of, “We don’t need no damn Kyler Murray. We have J.J. McCarthy. Stop it.”
That assertion is fair.
But what happens if McCarthy tears something in the next nine games? The youngster missed his entire rookie campaign with a torn meniscus and five games this year with a high ankle sprain. In all likelihood, McCarthy will be just fine — three injuries in two seasons would be pretty freaky — and Murray will join some other team.
Still, if McCarthy were to succumb to a season-ending injury that bled into 2026, the Vikings would have no choice but to explore a quarterback alternative, either from the draft, free agency, or via trade.
Insert Murray in that doomsday scenario.
A Long Shot, but One Worth Remembering
Murray’s situation seems to be 50% injury and 50% soft-bench. When the world claimed that McCarthy last month, the theory didn’t make any sense. But in Arizona, the coaching staff is hinting at a little bit of Column A and a little bit of Column B.
If bench theories prevail, the Cardinals may pursue a different QB1 option next offseason, deciding that seven seasons of Murray at the helm haven’t amounted to much.
The Vikings could poke around a Murray trade if the quarterback options became grim. It’s a long shot, but it can’t be ruled out.
Where Else Could Murray Land?
Pretend Minnesota won’t come knocking for Murray next offseason — because he likely won’t be needed.
These teams could reasonably inquire about Murray’s trade price in February or March:
- Cleveland Browns
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Rams
- New Orleans Saints
- New York Jets
- Pittsburgh Steelers
The most obvious choice? Probably the Raiders, as trading for Kyler Murray seems like a “Raider thing” to do. The dark horse? The Rams — if Matthew Stafford, alas, retires. Pair Murray with Sean McVay, and both parties could cook indefinitely.
Cardinals-Themed Media on Murray’s Bench Trip
AZCentral.com‘s Greg Moore wrote this week, “It seems to me that the decision is about more than just Kyler Murray’s injured foot. It’s about saving jobs and keeping the franchise from a (yet another) potential reset in a year or two.”
“Officially, Murray and the Cardinals have been consulting with doctors who say his timetable for return could be as long as eight weeks and that there’s an increased chance of a setback until he’s fully healed. At least that’s what ESPN’s esteemed insider Adam Schefter had to say on X, formerly Twitter.”
The Cardinals have a 7.3% chance of reaching the postseason, according to ESPN’s Predictive FPI metric.
Moore continued, “Under Brissett, more guys are getting the ball. (Michael Wilson and Zay Jones have combined for more catches and yards in the last three games than they had in the first five.) The Cardinals are scoring more points. (The team had been averaging 20.6 points per game with Murray. They’re averaging 25.6 with Brissett. If Arizona, 3-5, had been scoring that much all season, the team’s record would be 6-2).”
“There’s also the reality that Murray is entirely too expensive to be sitting on the bench at roughly $46.1 million a year. And finally, how much upside does anyone think Brissett actually has? He’s in his 10th season, after all. But for me, none of that matters as much as a coach doing all he can to win games. When losses pile up, people get fired, players get released, and franchises have to start over. New GM. New coach. New quarterback. New rebuild. Same-old frustrated fanbase.”
Remember this Murray moment as a Vikings fail-safe if McCarthy’s injury history doesn’t stabilize.
