This has been one of those weeks where you read about a tsunami of free agency activity happening around the NFL landscape — except in Minnesota, where the moves made by Vikings brass were more akin to skipping rocks across a pond.
Our promising WR3, Jalen Nailor, has cashed in in Sin City. And signature players signed this past year to bolster both our O-line and D-line have (wisely) retired (Ryan Kelly) or been released and snatched up by competitors. Still, some key players have been retained via tender and/or restructured contracts, at least for the 2026 season. And a pathway has been laid that still leaves fans wondering if Hitman Harry (Harrison Smith) will or won’t give it one more go.
Without a doubt, however, the decision that has given me the most concern is the fresh news that the Vikings have come to terms with Kyler Murray. And, sure, they’re getting him at the veteran minimum, which is manageable even with our salary cap hell, but what about 2027 and beyond? Because what’s to say that next year we won’t be in the same salary vice, when Kyler will assume that some team will shower him with a truckload of Benjamins?
In that regard, was Kyler and his mercenary services the right move? If indeed the Vikings are serious about McCarthy’s development, and not giving up on him, then is Kyler the right choice to act as a mentor?
Because I’m seeing shades of Anthony Richardson in Indy, where they drafted him high (too high?), in spite of his limited college experience (like McCarthy). And after two years they brought in Daniel Jones to spur competition, then handed him an extension with guarantees attached, even though he’s likely not even recovered from his [Achilles injury] by summer. So what does that say about Richardson’s future?
The comparison is apt. Because if he stays healthy and produces at the level during his Pro Bowl years, Kyler isn’t going to be warming the bench. And despite all the hiccups, the Vikings invested a high draft pick on McCarthy, and I’d hate to see him wind up like Christian Ponder did.
Then again, this is the Vikings we’re talking about here, and I shouldn’t read too much into it. That “Minnesota Nice Gene” will continue the pattern wherein the Vikings would feel it impolite to crush all the competition and actually win the Super Bowl.
— David A. (from the North Shore but stuck in the South)
The Vikings correctly forecasted that Nailor would garner a lucrative contract in his first exposure to free agency. The 2022 sixth-round pick developed well and is heading back to Las Vegas where he played high school ball and also made his preseason debut. Pretty cool story for him all the way around, and I wish him nothing but the best.
I mentioned Kelly last week as being in the category of players you wish you could have had more time covering.
One reported nugget of Murray’s contract with Minnesota is it includes a no-tag clause for 2027, so he will be eligible for free agency. If he starts and plays well, he could receive many lucrative offers, but there’s too much of 2026 remaining to worry about 2027.
Based on the media session with O’Connell and Brzezinski, I think this might be a better combination of QBs than maybe some believe. The primary reason for that is this quote from O’Connell and his thoughts on how Murray has combined pocket passing and play-making that utilizes his elusive athleticism.
“When you actually dive in and really study, snap in and snap out, Kyler’s experience at the position, you do see a lot of really great qualities that fit into some of the things that we ask our quarterbacks to do,” O’Connell said. “I think Kyler is an accurate player. I think he’s really learned to play with very solid fundamentals in the pass game. I think his ability and experience playing from an NFL pocket has proven to be something that he can make all the throws and all of those things.
“But I think the big thing for all of us here is continuing to try to find a way in each year to do the things that players do well, not just the quarterback, but the types of routes we ask the receivers to run, the types of things we’re doing in the run game with the backs and the o-line and tight ends and that will always remain to be true, but honestly, something that I’m looking to continue to improve that myself and with my coaching staff, of including some of the new additions that were all brought here for a reason, on the coaching staff,” he continued. “I feel really good about where we are at as a staff and in our preparations for our players to come back into the building for the offseason program. …
“With Kyler, the ability to make a lot of throws in the pocket is absolutely paired with the ability to be a real weapon with his athleticism,” O’Connell added. “His quickness, his ability to not only attack the line of scrimmage as a runner, but maintaining the ability to create some throwing opportunities off schedule and hopefully be a challenge for the way we’re defended with how people do play Justin [Jefferson] and allocating extra resources that way, and with Jordan Addison and T.J. and obviously, Jordan [Mason] and Aaron [Jones, Sr.] and all the other guys we’re going to have in that huddle, as well as a healthy offensive line I’m very, very excited about the possibilities of what we’re going to be able to do in 2026 but a lot of work to be done.”