The Minnesota Vikings will look to start 1-0 as they face the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 on Sept. 13 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Moreover, it’s the first opportunity for Kyler Murray to begin his fresh start on the right foot.
Over the offseason, the Arizona Cardinals decided to cut ties with Murray, allowing the No. 1 pick to have a fresh start elsewhere. Murray wasn’t a bust in Arizona, but the QB probably didn’t find the consistency needed to play up to his potential.
Murray will have everything he needs to do that in Minnesota with Head coach Kevin O’Connell and one of the best receiving groups, including Justin Jefferson. For FOX Sports radio host Carmen Vitali, it’s now or never for Murray to find that consistency and play at a level many expect he can.
“I think if he’s ever going to reach it, it’s going to be here, and he has every incentive to reach it and to go and be the best quarterback he can be at this point,” Vitali said in a Sept. 3 appearance on the “Purple Insider” podcast. “He’s playing on league minimum at this point, like right now, and he’s playing for his next contract. Whether or not that’s with the Vikings obviously remains to be seen.
“But for anybody, Kyler Murray wants to prove that he is a starting quarterback and he is a good starting quarterback in this league. I’m really excited to see, and I think that the ceiling for this team, and I’ve been saying it all offseason, the ceiling for this team is winning the division.”
Vikings Have a High Ceiling With Kyler Murray at QB
Moreover, if Murray can find the consistency that allows him to play at the level many expect, Vitali believes the Vikings can have an even better season than they had in 2024 with Sam Darnold.
“Having Kyler Murray, who has some proof of concept in the NFL of being a top-10 quarterback, I just think the ceiling is higher than what we even saw out of Sam Darnold two years ago,” Vitali noted.
“Because of Kyler Murray’s athleticism and the way that you can integrate that into the offense, and the trust that I have in Kevin O’Connell to integrate that into the offense, I think that ceiling is pretty high.”
KOC Gets Blunt Advice on Using Kyler Murray’s Legs
Ahead of the Week 1 game against Green Bay, O’Connell received a suggestion to use Murray’s running ability conservatively. Phil Mackey of “Purple Daily” shared the number of times the Vikings head coach should want Murray running in a game.
“Kyler, in his second year in the NFL, ran eight to nine times per game,” Mackey said in a Sept. 4 video from SKOR North. “That number is down to four to five times per game post-knee injury. That feels like a fair number to me; if it’s 10 times a game, way too much risk.
“If it’s four to five times a game and three of those are on a third down, and you’re converting. But to me, the mobility is best used off play-action bootlegs, staying behind the line of scrimmage, and sandlot football if you need to get down the field.”
Vikings QB Kyler Murray Gets Candid Message Ahead of Packers Game