The Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Kyler Murray to a one-year deal, earning an impressive A grade from ESPN's Seth Walder. This move comes after J.J. McCarthy's underwhelming performance, with Murray expected to be the team's starter for 2026.
The situation with the Minnesota Vikings and their quarterback position has been fluid over the last two seasons. One of the things that has made it so fluid is the one-year deals they have been signing quarterbacks to as part of a bridge system, while also waiting for rookie J.J. McCarthy to emerge as their future.
The one-year contracts worked in 2024, McCarthy didn't work out in 2025, so now they are trying a bit of both in 2026 with Kyler Murray and McCarthy. However, based on early returns, they will at least get to enjoy this signing, given ESPN's Seth Walder's grade.
He unveiled his final free agency grades, and Murray earned an impressive A.
Walder explains, "After J.J. McCarthy delivered only 10 games of subpar play last season with a 35.6 QBR (which would have ranked 27th had he played enough to qualify) after a rookie season lost to injury, the Vikings decided to bring in another quarterback. In all likelihood, they just signed their 2026 starter. Because Murray had $36.8 million fully guaranteed from his contract with the Cardinals, the Vikings can sign him for only $1.3 million, with Arizona picking up the rest of the tab. And on paper, Minnesota just got a huge upgrade at quarterback for the veteran minimum."
The move is certainly a signal that the team is ready to move on, and if they can hit on yet another one-year deal with a veteran, then it could save a lot of people's jobs in the process. Murray has shown flashes of brilliance; he earned a second contract after all, but Kevin O'Connell has some work to do to prove this grade is more than just something we see on screen.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL Free Agency: What is the final grade on the Kyler Murray signing?
Kyler Murray received an impressive A grade for his signing with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings signed Kyler Murray due to J.J. McCarthy's subpar performance and to potentially secure a reliable starter for the 2026 season.
Kyler Murray's contract with the Minnesota Vikings is worth $1.3 million, with the Arizona Cardinals covering the remaining cost of his previous contract.
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