After a season in which the Vikings were undone by inadequate quarterback play, the No. 1 priority of their spring was to build a deep, talented room at football’s most important position.
The first step of that process — one that fell into their laps, to some extent — was signing Kyler Murray to a one-year, league-minimum deal after he was released by the Cardinals. They explored numerous options, but the opportunity to land a player as talented as Murray for basically nothing was too great to pass up.
A former No. 1 overall pick and two-time Pro Bowler, Murray is perhaps best known for his dynamic athleticism from the quarterback position. He helps make up for a lack of size by being extremely quick and difficult to corral in the open field; only Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts have more rushing yards than Murray among NFL QBs since he entered the league in 2019.
It’ll be fascinating to see how Murray’s dual-threat ability meshes with a Kevin O’Connell offense that has previously been led by pocket passers like Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold. But in speaking to reporters at the NFL’s Annual League Meeting on Monday, O’Connell reiterated something he brought up the night the Vikings signed Murray, which is that he feels the former Cardinals star is underrated in his ability to play from the pocket.
“I don’t think he’s gotten enough credit for playing in rhythm,” O’Connell said. “We all recognize some of the highlight-reel ability that he has, and Kyler Murray has always had that level of talent. But I think sometimes what we don’t recognize is the 3rd and 7 right before the huge scramble play … where he hits (Trey) McBride away from some tight coverage on routes that are maybe similar to some of the things we’ll do.
“Watching him play with really good technique and fundamentals, either in the dropback game, the play-action game can be done a lot of different ways. Offset gun, pistol, and under center. He’s pretty dynamic in the keeper game, the movement game obviously with his natural athleticism. I see a lot of ways that we’ll be able to continue the evolution and evolve our offense here in year five, but at the same time, principles that I believe Kyler will be able to not only make his own, but provide different layers to what we do with some of his experiences.”