Local Insider Narrows MN Vikings QB List to Three… Not One

At 11 a.m. CDT on Monday, the NFL legal tampering period will officially begin, meaning the Minnesota Vikings and other teams across the league can legally start negotiating with free agents in less than 48 hours.

Shortly after the opening bell rings, insiders will start reporting handshake agreements that cannot become official until March 11, when the new league year begins.

But how quickly after the negotiating period begins next week will the Vikings find the quarterback fans have been so impatiently waiting for the past few months? The answer to that question depends on who you ask.

We’ve seen Minnesota linked to a bevy of quarterbacks in recent weeks, but given their sudden financial restrictions, that list has been narrowed down… possibly to one?

Kyler Murray a lock to land with Minnesota Vikings?

As of Saturday, the sportsbooks are all in on Kyler Murray to Minnesota, after a week’s worth of reports and rumors drove the odds at DraftKings to a rather jarring -295.

Related: MN Vikings Restructuring Two Superstar Contracts

For those of you who were not raised as a degenerate gambler like me, that means you’d have to bet $295 on Murray to Minnesota, just to win $100 if it comes true. The next likely Kyler destination is with the NY Jets, at +350 (bet $100 to win $350).

Throw the Vegas odds in with the report from SNY’s Connor Hughes on Friday, that Murray is “expected to sign with the Vikings”… and Minnesota fans should probably start ordering their No. 1 Murray jerseys now, right?

The #Jets might not target just one quarterback in free agency. Belief from agents who met with them at the NFL Combine is that they prefer to add two — if they can. It's similar to what the #Giants did a year ago (Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston).

Kyler Murray was discussed,…

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) March 6, 2026

At this point, it’d be tough to bet against Kyler Murray landing with the Minnesota Vikings next week. He’s the youngest, most talented of all the above quarterbacks, and he wants to be here. Nonetheless, there’s still a lot that needs sorted out over the next few days, before that happens.

Local reporters hesitant to crown Kyler Murray as MN Vikings QB

And unlike media members from outside the Minnesota sports market, local reporters have been much more hesitant to crown Kyler Murray as the Vikings’ next quarterback, which has my antennas up.

Then, in a new episode of Purple Daily that dropped Saturday morning, longtime local insider Darren Wolfson (KSTP) told his friends at SKOR North that he has yet to receive any indication from the Vikings that Murray is a lock.

Instead, Wolfson has chiseled his list of possible Vikings QBs down to, not one, but three names — Kyler Murray, Geno Smith and Kirk Cousins.

“I’m really keying in on one of three guys. Gino Smith, Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins. Now, hey, I saw the report on Friday morning, a New York Jets reporter for SNY out of New York pretty much saying done deal — Kyler Murray signing with the Vikings. I have not heard that. I just I haven’t heard that it’s a done deal.”

Darren Wolfson – SKOR North

In addition to Wolfson’s report above, it’s worth noting that both Alec Lewis (The Athletic) and Kevin Seifert (ESPN) still have Geno Smith as being on the Vikings’ radar, along with Murray, though this is the heaviest I have heard a reporter be on Kirk Cousins, in recent weeks.

And just in case you didn’t notice, all three quarterbacks Minnesota is considering have one thing in common. They are all scheduled to be bought out next week, meaning they’ll be paid $10’s of millions by their former teams in 2026.

Thus, they are expected to sign with their new teams on salaries near the veteran minimum ($1.3 million). Of course, there is some financial wiggle room, depending on what’s important to each player.

MN Vikings aiming for cheapest of the buyout quarterbacks?

Given the steam pushing Kyler Murray to the Minnesota of late, it’s safe to assume he’d be happy to sign for the minimum, in order to be a Viking. However, until we get some consensus among local reporters, I’m still not totally sold in Murray being Kevin O’Connell’s No. 1 choice.

Because if the Minnesota Vikings wanted Kyler Murray as badly as he wants them, what would be holding them back from confirming these national reports that a Murray to MN deal is imminent? Because they very clearly are not.

“Do I think Kyler Murray wants to be here? Do I think some Vikings players would welcome Kyler Murray with open arms? Abso-freaking-lutely. But I just can’t sit here this weekend and tell you definitively, ‘yes, it’s a done deal, come Wednesday, late afternoon, early evening, the news is going to break [that] Kyler Murray is signing with the Vikings.’

I think he would love it. I just haven’t been told from people in Eagan that it’s absolutely trending in that direction.”

Darren Wolfson – SKOR North

So until we hear differently, I’m of the belief that landing Kyler Murray is not the Minnesota Vikings’ top goal, come Monday. Instead, it’s pretty clear that their main focus is finding a competent QB for as cheap as possible.

Could Kirk Cousins be Vikings No. 1 target?

I would assume that is why Kirk Cousins is still on Darren’s radar, but not others. It wouldn’t surprise me if Kirk is at the top of Minnesota’s bought-out QB list… if he will sign for $1.3 million like Geno and Kyler will.

Of course, Cousins has never been interested in choosing a better situation over more money. And if it’s max cash that Kirko wants, he’ll undoubtedly get a couple million bucks more in New York or Cleveland.

Related: Vikings Take More Action to Clear Cap Space

If Cousins were to shock the football world, however, and choose Kevin O’Connell, Justin Jefferson and an offensive system he’s already familiar with — over more money somewhere else — it wouldn’t surprise me if the Minnesota Vikings want him over Kyler Murray and the many unknowns that would come along with signing him.

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