{"id":805462,"date":"2026-03-11T00:13:32","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T00:13:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/805462\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T00:13:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T00:13:32","slug":"nfl-qb-dominoes-falling-in-minnesota-vikings-favor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/805462\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL QB Dominoes Falling in Minnesota Vikings\u2019 Favor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"788\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2023_1001_Vikings_Panthers_REG04_0441-scaled-e1773178960615.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium tpd-force-16x9-aspect-ratio wp-post-image\" alt=\"Kevin O'Connell - Minnesota Vikings\" decoding=\"sync\" loading=\"eager\"   fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>There have been a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/minnesota-vikings\/early-nfl-free-agency-losses-mn-vikings-ryan-wright-jalen-nailor\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">bunch of deals reported<\/a> since the NFL legal tampering period opened late Monday morning. None of them can become official until Wednesday afternoon, when the new league year opens.<\/p>\n<p>But while other teams have been busy spending $1.5 billion in guaranteed dollars over the past 30 or so hours, the Vikings have sat back patiently. Outside of re-signing a few of their own players, the only unofficial move they\u2019ve made so far is the pending signing of former Steelers depth <a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/minnesota-vikings\/james-pierre-signs-free-agency-contract\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">cornerback, James Pierre<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>MN Vikings + Kyler Murray continues to gain steam<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, they are still in need of a quarterback. There have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/minnesota-vikings\/qb-rumors-mn-vikings-kyler-murray-kirk-cousins-geno-smith\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"83837\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">multiple QBs rumored<\/a> to be in play for the Minnesota Vikings. For weeks now, however, the most likely candidate has been Cardinals QB Kyler Murray.<\/p>\n<p>We have yet to hear exactly which quarterback Kevin O\u2019Connell prefers but, if the Vikings were hoping for anyone other than the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MurrKy00.htm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">28-year-old former No. 1 overall pick<\/a>\u2026 then they are quickly running out of options, especially after their other rumored top target Geno Smith was traded to the Jets Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Trade: the Raiders are sending QB Geno Smith and a 2026 7th-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for a 2026 6th-round pick, per ESPN sources. Smith returns to the team for which he started his NFL career for in 2013. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xp7gvXxYJf\" rel=\"nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/xp7gvXxYJf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AdamSchefter\/status\/2031433451128111475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">March 10, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>To this point, Minnesota\u2019s possible free agent quarterback signings are down to Murray, Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Marcus Mariota\u2026 if you think that\u2019s better than rolling the dice with JJ McCarthy and Max Brosmer again.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Kyler Murray is running out of landing spots just as quickly as the Vikings are QB options. Now that the Jets are out of the picture, Murray\u2019s list of 2026 employers is pretty much down to Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Indianapolis.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, the Steelers have publicly vowed their allegiance to Aaron Rodgers yet again, and the Colts just <a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/minnesota-vikings\/daniel-jones-transition-tag-kyler-murray-release\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">transition-tagged<\/a> Daniel Jones for $37 million. So how likely is it that Murray would land with either of those teams?<\/p>\n<p>Murray to Minnesota feeling inevitable?<\/p>\n<p>If Kyler\u2019s options are realistically down to the Browns vs Vikings\u2026 then you can see why everybody is projecting him to Minnesota, even if nobody inside the Vikings organization is talking. Does that mean we can all buy our No. 1 Kyler Murray jerseys now?<\/p>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">While many players found their new home, there are still some looking for their next stop \ud83d\udccd<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LRiddickESPN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@LRiddickESPN<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JFowlerESPN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@JFowlerESPN<\/a> share their top five best avaliable players after day two of NFL free agency \u270d\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KuyDZslrcS\" rel=\"nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/KuyDZslrcS<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ESPNNFL\/status\/2031465576997036053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">March 10, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>No, but it does make it feel more inevitable than ever, barring something going very wrong during their upcoming virtual chat, which will take place soon after he is released. Right now, that\u2019s expected sometime Wednesday, after the start of the new league year.<\/p>\n<p>The only certainty at this point, is that J.J. McCarthy won\u2019t be the unquestioned Minnesota Vikings starter during training camp, after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/minnesota-vikings\/failed-jj-mccarthy-plan-multiple-layers-daniel-jones-aaron-rodgers\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"77620\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">falling on his face last season<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/minnesota-vikings\/josh-mccown-blocked-mn-vikings-lateral-move-giants\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"84136\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Vikings Blocked Rising Young Coach From Ditching Town<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Kyler Murray is a former Offensive Rookie of the Year and two-time Pro Bowl selection. Across seven NFL seasons, he has thrown for more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MurrKy00.htm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">20,000 yards and 121 touchdowns<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Still one of the craziest plays I\u2019ve witnessed.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/P9uOkxKE30\" rel=\"nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/P9uOkxKE30<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Cardschatter\/status\/2028972427737477487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">March 3, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s rare that a talent like that hits the open market. It\u2019s unprecedented he gets paid $40 million from another team to leave, and thus can be had at the dirt-cheap price of $1.3 million for your team. Which, again, makes Murray to the Minnesota Vikings FEEL inevitable.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/tag\/geno-smith\/\" rel=\"tag nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Geno Smith<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/tag\/kyler-murray\/\" rel=\"tag nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kyler Murray<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/tag\/nfl-offseason\/\" rel=\"tag nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NFL Offseason<\/a> <\/p>\n<p class=\"categories single-categories\">More About:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\/category\/minnesota-vikings\/\" rel=\"tag nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Minnesota Vikings<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 1rem auto; padding: 1rem 0; border-top: 1px solid #e4e4e4; border-bottom: 1px solid #e4e4e4;\"><a class=\"google-preferred-source\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.minnesotasportsfan.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" aria-label=\"Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google.\">Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google.<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/google_preferred_source_badge.png\" alt=\"Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google.\" width=\"90\" height=\"28\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"margin: 0 0 0 10px;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings There have been a bunch of deals reported since the NFL&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":805463,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2073],"tags":[7,1507,4827,233,259,2529,6,7828,234],"class_list":{"0":"post-805462","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-minnesota-vikings","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-geno-smith","10":"tag-kyler-murray","11":"tag-minnesota","12":"tag-minnesota-vikings","13":"tag-minnesotavikings","14":"tag-nfl","15":"tag-nfl-offseason","16":"tag-vikings"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116207657881637039","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/805462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=805462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/805462\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/805463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=805462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=805462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=805462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}