Kyler Murray must do one thing to succeed with Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings got a glimpse of what life would look like with Kyler Murray at the helm.

The former No. 1 pick was on the field for a handful of plays and completed 2-of-3 passes for 10 yards in the 13-10 preseason win over the New York Giants on Saturday. Of course, it's hard to make a fair assessment in that context, but barring a shocking turn of events, Murray will be Kevin O'Connell's guy for the whole season.

Considering that and given the team's plethora of weapons, ESPN analyst Herm Edwards had a simple piece of advice for the former Arizona Cardinals star: Don't do too much.

Kyler Murray doesn't need to do too much 

“They just need a quarterback not to do too much. Just run the offense,” Edwards said. “Kyler Murray [has to realize], you know what? All I got to do is run the offense. I don’t have to run around. Just sit in the pocket, get the ball out of your hand. So, this is going to be kind of fun to watch this competition.”

While Murray is trying to work his way back from the ground and secure another long-term and lucrative deal as a QB1, he has to keep it simple. He's now playing in a quarterback-friendly system and for an offensive guru, so getting out of his own way might be the smartest path back to stardom.

“He’s trying to resurrect his career,“ Edwards continued. “How many quarterbacks have we seen go to other places? Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and all of a sudden, they find a coach that understands who they are and the player flourishes.”

Murray beat J.J. McCarthy for the job, but the Vikings might not be ready to give up on their former first-round selection, who still has two years left in his contract and a potential fifth-year option. Saturday's test was just the first challenge, but if Murray runs a clean operation, he should be able to hold onto that spot for the long run.