Kyler Murray's future is on less than stable footing with the Arizona Cardinals. With a coaching regime change this offseason and after he was shut down at the end of last year, it's been a possibility for some time now that the Cards could trade the former No. 1 overall pick this offseason. That, of course, will all depend on if Mike LaFleur and the new coaching staff change their minds and on what the market looks like. But it appears that latter part is already taking shape, with the Minnesota Vikings involved.
Given the tepid quarterback market this offseason in free agency, Murray would be a phenomenal addition for the Vikings, But there's a lot that goes into the potential of Minnesota trading for the veteran quarterback this offseason should that come to pass.
Vikings already being connected to a Kyler Murray trade
After a dismal season from J.J. McCarthy and with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah getting the boot as well, the Vikings are expected to add to their quarterback room with a veteran. Kirk Cousins, given his connections to the franchise, has been often mentioned. However, Murray is a name that's recently emerged as a possible option for Minnesota.
Phil Mackey of SKOR North recently reported that Murray would be interested in playing for the Vikings in the 2026 season amid the trade rumors around the quarterback. Of course, that doesn't entirely speak to Minnesota's level of interest in such a marriage. At the same time, it would make complete sense if they were, in fact, intrigued by the idea of bringing the former first overall pick to compete with McCarthy this offseason.
One of the biggest disappointments when it comes to McCarthy was the fact that the Vikings have a roster that seemingly can win now. Hell, we watched Sam Darnold lead this team to a 14-win regular season and a playoff berth in 2024 before the Top 10 pick was given the reins and Darnold was allowed to walk in free agency.
That's not to say that Murray is a sure thing, but he's a proven NFL commodity that could very much be a high-caliber change of scenery guy. And if the price is right, then it's at least a discussion worth having in the Minnesota front office.
What is Kyler Murray's trade value at this point?
Considering Murray is a former first-round pick and an established player in this league — not to mention the value of quarterbacks — one might assume that the price will be high to trade for him. That, however, is not necessarily the case, and Cardinals fans should certainly set their expectations reasonably for a deal.
I'd expect Arizona to go fishing for a Day 2 pick in return for Murray in a trade this offseason. He has at least two years remaining on his deal with a $52.6 million cap hit this year and a $43.535 million cap hit next season. There is an out of sorts for the 2027 season with only a $7.2 million dead cap charge, but all of the money in the 2026 season is guaranteed. Moreover, there is also a club option for the 2028 season.
Because of how much an acquiring team would have to take on in terms of contract value, that's going to depress the value of the return that the Cardinals can get. A first-rounder is out of the question and, though there should be more than just Minnesota vying for a trade, I also don't think a second-round pick is a reasonable return to consider either.
When it's all said and done, either a team will give the Cardinals a third-round pick or Arizona will have to settle for a fourth-rounder to get a trade for Murray done. That might seem inconsequential, but for the reset that the Cardinals are trying to orchestrate and still getting a Top 100 or Top 150 pick to help continue their roster rebuild as well, that's something that both sides of a potential trade should ultimately be happy with in a deal.
How the Vikings and Cardinals could get the Kyler Murray trade done
Given what we've talked about in terms of price, I can see the Vikings ultimately sending the Cardinals a third-round pick in this year's draft in order to get a deal done.
On the Minnesota side of things, again, I just love what Murray would bring to this QB room. The signs from McCarthy were beyond worrisome. He didn't look like a player who needs development — he looked like a player who was a long, long way from even being close to ready, even if there were some flashes. Murray may be a different player than he once was after injuries have slowed him down some, and the size limitations are never going away. At the same time, pairing him with Kevin O'Connell in this offense might be the best chance to revive his career at this point.
Meanwhile, Arizona would get the best of both worlds. First, they would get to hit a hard reset on their QB room and start to move forward. Admittedly, that might not mean a great deal for their success in the 2026 season, but it would allow them to build a more cornerstone-laden roster and then attack a rich QB class in the 2027 draft.
Furthermore, for the Cardinals, they would get a Top 100 pick in this year's draft, which should be a player who can provide immediate help to this roster. Moreover, even if it's not immediate help, they'd be on a timeline to compete right away, giving them the grace to develop a prospect they'd select with that pick.
It's a trade that best fits the timelines for these two teams, and puts them in better positions moving forward. It's also the opportunity for a rare win-win trade in which both sides can walk away feeling like they accomplished the goal at hand for this offseason.