Vikings take first step toward pursuing quarterback Kyler Murray

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Mar 7, 2026 12:35 AM ET

The Minnesota Vikings are expected to pursue Kyler Murray this offseason, per multiple reports. With that being said, the front office has some work to do.

It was well-known that Minnesota was projected to be way over the 2026 salary cap, which is why defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave as well as running back Aaron Jones Sr. are expected to have new homes this offseason. On Friday, the Vikings reportedly continued their cap-cutting operation without parting ways with key players.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Vikings performed "simple restructures" to wide receiver Justin Jefferson and offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw's contracts this Friday.

They've already restructured cornerback Byron Murphy Jr.'s contract to free up $11.32 million in cap space.

The Vikings are doing simple restructures on the contracts of star WR Justin Jefferson and LT Christian Darrisaw to clear salary cap space, per sources. Still work to do to get under the cap by Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/nDyvH0R9hz
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 6, 2026

These restructures should get the Vikings awfully close to being cap-compliant. They might need one last move to get them over the finish line though.

Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Is Kyler Murray the right fit for the Vikings?

ESPN's Kevin Seifert said the Vikings have Murray at the top of their offseason wish list, which makes sense considering he previously reported that the team wants to "take a huge swing" at quarterback.

“In the big picture, McCarthy is a talented player who just turned 23 and has a total of 10 NFL starts. Few NFL teams would give up on a quarterback with that profile, and many team builders are particularly enamored with optimizing a quarterback’s rookie contract. Adofo-Mensah was one of them, but his departure is a reminder of the range of outcomes that approach can lead to,” Seifert said. “If anything, these events increase the chances that the Vikings will take a big swing at finding a veteran quarterback who could start in 2026. The only thing more damaging than making the mistakes the Vikings made last season would be to repeat them this year.”

McCarthy struggled for the majority of the 2025 season, completing 57.6% of his passes during the 2025 season for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. On paper, Murray would give the Vikings a much more reliable option at quarterback.

It's also worth noting that Murray probably won't cost much since the Arizona Cardinals still owe him $36.8 million in guarantees for the 2026 season.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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