Following a disappointing 9-8 season, the Minnesota Vikings have fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. A combination of poor cap management ($48 million over the cap) and watching their previous starter, Sam Darnold, lead the Seattle Seahawks to Super Bowl LX led to a change.
With the Vikings looking for a new executive to run their football operations, the Arizona Cardinals could take advantage. A new general manager doesn’t have to commit to JJ McCarthy as their starting quarterback in 2026.
That gives the Arizona Cardinals a window of opportunity in the trade market. Where the Cardinals can help them is by dangling Kyler Murray in a trade. Given his large cap hit that exceeds $52 million, it’s almost a certainty he’ll be shopped this offseason.
A trade would allow the Cardinals to reset, collect assets and/or players, and build under their next head coach. The Vikings will have a better chance at winning each week in a pressure-packed NFC North.
Why the Cardinals Could Trade Kyler Murray to the Vikings
The Vikings carry the No. 18 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, so it’s unlikely they’ll even sniff a quarterback with their top pick. That leaves them with a tough decision on JJ McCarthy. Minnesota could either stay the course with the quarterback they drafted ninth overall two drafts ago, or make a “win now” move at the position.
Unless the Cardinals’ next head coach has a plan for Kyler Murray, it makes sense for the team to move on. A trade would save Arizona more than $34 million toward the cap, allowing for a more ambitious offseason. But it also means spending a significant chunk of those savings finding his replacement.
With Dante Moore choosing to go back to college, that means there is one less viable alternative coming from the draft. That, in theory, should raise the asking price for the Cardinals in Murray talks since the New York Jets are now a potential suitor. More teams vying for his services give general manager Monti Ossenfort leverage to extract more value for his quarterback.
ESPN’s Cardinals reporter Josh Weinfuss reports that the starting price for Murray could be a second-rounder. Weinfuss’s source believes Arizona could get at least a third in a trade. The Vikings’ second and third-round selections are the No. 49 and No. 82 picks.
One possible alternative could be the inclusion of McCarthy, although it would have to be a post-June 1 deal. That would allow the Vikings to spread out their cap hit over two seasons instead of one.
It would serve as a fresh start for the former No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 draft. It would also give the Cardinals a young quarterback to develop, while they could sign a bridge starter in free agency. Who they sign as Murray’s replacement could depend on their next head coach hire.
Daily Cardinals Coaching Search Update
The Cardinals are in a rebuild, as they’ll be hiring a new head coach soon. While the team will interview Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, it’s a long shot for Arizona to hire him.
Instead, the more likely scenario is that the Cardinals go back to Mike LaFleur to offer him the head coach job. The Los Angeles Rams‘ offensive coordinator was considered the frontrunner, but left Arizona without a deal.
On the MMQB Podcast (H/T PHNX Sports), co-hosts Conor Orr and Albert Breer predict LaFleur will ultimately come to Arizona.
The significance of hiring LaFleur means they could bring in Jimmy Garoppolo as the bridge quarterback. Garoppolo is currently the backup for the Rams, but has extensive starting experience in their shared time in San Francisco (2017-20).
Vikings Shakeup Could Give Cardinals More Leverage in Kyler Murray Talks