Cardinals QB Kyler Murray seemingly has 'preference' for next NFL team

Kyler Murray will no longer be a member of the Arizona Cardinals shortly after the new league year opens this coming Wednesday afternoon. 

Reporters and insiders have linked Murray with several quarterback-needy teams throughout the offseason. It sounds like he has one particular destination in mind. 

Will Kyler Murray's alleged "preference" choose him?

For his latest mailbag posted on Wednesday, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared that he believes signing with the Minnesota Vikings as soon as next week is Murray's "preference." 

"The Vikings are mulling their options," Breer continued. "I’d love to see what (head coach) Kevin O’Connell would be able to do with Murray."

Conflicting reports have emerged throughout the winter regarding whether or not O’Connell is ready to sit 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy or simply wants to acquire somebody who will compete with McCarthy this coming summer. It's thought that Murray may not be keen on joining a team that won't promise him the 2026 Week 1 starting job, and it also sounds like the Vikings may not be ready to dump McCarthy at this time. 

"I think J.J. McCarthy will be on the Vikings’ roster next year," Breer continued, "competing with another quarterback to start."

Why Kyler Murray could pressure Vikings to make J.J. McCarthy call

Many around the league assume that Murray will put pen to paper on a one-year deal for $1.3M because the Cardinals owe him $38M in fully guaranteed money for next season. Thus, Murray could pressure the Vikings to assure him that he and not McCarthy will enter training camp cemented atop the depth chart barring an injury. 

Breer noted that the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins are serious contenders to win Murray's services. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn reportedly has a relationship with Murray’s father, while the Dolphins have no proven QB1 on their roster ahead of free agency. 

"Getting him at the minimum for a year would make sense for a team carrying all the Tua Tagovailoa money into 2026," Breer added about the Dolphins. 

In short, O'Connell and others within the Vikings may need to spend the weekend having some difficult conversations about McCarthy's status before the "legal tampering" portion of free agency gets underway at noon ET on Monday.