NFL Draft Insider Monitoring Vikings’ QB Situation

Kyler Murray
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Vikings tried to draft their way to quarterback certainty when they spent a first round pick on J.J. McCarthy two years ago. Unfortunately, in the time since, they’ve gotten the exact opposite.

They hope to change that in 2026, with Kyler Murray in tow, and they’re making him earn his No. 1 spot for that exact reason. But there is a plausible reality where both Murray and McCarthy aren’t viable QB1 options in Minnesota beyond 2026.

And if that winds up being the case, then the Vikings would yet again be a top team to watch in the QB draft market, come 2027. If there’s a silver lining to that scenario, it’s that the 2027 quarterback crop looks incredibly promising.

Minnesota Vikings could be QB needy again

The expectation should be that Kyler Murray beats out J.J. McCarthy for the starting quarterback job. If that happens AND the MN Vikings agree to pay him long term, this question would be answered.

However, should Murray not look the part of a franchise QB or he and the MN Vikings cannot agree to terms on an extension next offseason, then NFL Draft insider Jordan Reid (ESPN) believes they’ll be looking to take a QB early in the 2027 NFL Draft

They are in the middle of a QB competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy for the starting job, with Carson Wentz behind them as the QB3. If Murray and McCarthy don’t drastically improve from what they put on tape last season, Minnesota could be looking for its next franchise signal-caller as soon as the 2027 draft.

Jordan Reid – ESPN

Calling the Vikings a “sleeper team to watch at quarterback” perfectly describes the situation. All that’s left, as Jordan lays out, is to wait and see how the “QB competition” in Minnesota plays out, then act accordingly.

At his best, Murray is a dynamic signal caller that has athleticism to make all of the plays on a football field. At his worst, he’s an undersized injury risk that underperformed while employed by a bad Arizona Cardinals team.

In 2024 Murray played all 17 games and threw for 3,851 yards with 21 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions. He added another 572 yards on the ground and scored five times as well.

If that’s the sort of performance the MN Vikings see, then Murray will not be let out of the building and instead should be handed another big payday.

Quarterbacks aplenty for MN Vikings to consider

Should Murray and McCarthy keep a watchful eye on the Minnesota Vikings going into the draft, then whoever the new general manager is will have a plethora of quarterbacks to consider. Whereas Fernando Mendoza was largely the only consensus first round talent this cycle, that couldn’t be less true in 2027.

Reid notes 10 names as top names to consider including contender for a top pick this past cycle, Oregon’s Dante Moore. That group won’t all go in the first round, but it gives the Vikings plenty of options should they need to invest draft capital in the position again.

For now the Vikings have veteran Carson Wentz, and second year backup Max Brosmer, as future considerations. Neither is going to be the long term answer though, so it’s either Murray, McCarthy, or pray to get it right.

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