The Minnesota Vikings are hoping Kyler Murray can get them back into the postseason, but former Arizona Cardinals teammate J.J. Watt has one key concern.
It is about Murray’s fit in the kind of offense Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell wants to run.
Watt noted that he has been doing “a whole bunch of research” ahead of calling their game with CBS Sports. He also said that he was “fascinated” to see how Murray operated O’Connell’s offense this season.
“Kyler’s entire career has been out of the shotgun. From high school to college to the pros. Now, the last couple years, he has gone under center a little more. But he still hasn’t been in the top 25 in terms of under-center snaps, and KOC is consistently in the top five. Never been outside the top eight in under-center snaps,” Watt told former NFL punter Pat McAfee on “The Pat McAfee Show” on August 28.
“To see how Kyler operates from under center, to see how they use him in that play-action rollout game, to see how–once KOC gets his claws in and is able to really work with Kyler–what that offense looks like.”
However, the Vikings are certainly aware of Murray’s history, which their plans for making the most of his skill set seem to underscore.
Vikings Planning to Tailor Offense to Kyler Murray
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis noted that O’Connell and the Vikings plan to do what Murray is best at, including shifting to more shotgun looks. Murray, who is undersized at 5-foot-10, benefits from already being at depth, rather than having to drop back, then try to see over/around his line.
“Can head coach Kevin O’Connell and Murray meld their preferences into a potent offensive vision?” Lewis wrote on August 25.
“Training camp has offered some clues. Expect the Vikings to play more from the shotgun in 2026. Furthermore, Minnesota’s staff plans to reconfigure the passing game around Murray’s strengths. These modifications matter in the bigger picture for a franchise that has not won a playoff game since 2019.
That could go a long way toward smoothing Murray’s transition to the Vikings’ offense.
Kyler Murray Had Quiet Preseason
The Vikings are banking heavily on their training camp practice work regarding Murray. The two-time Pro Bowler completed 2 of 3 passes for 10 yards in his lone preseason appearance, playing nine snaps total, per Pro Football Focus
Murray, 29, was last a Pro Bowler in 2021.
He went through two head coaches and one offensive coordinator with the Cardinals, the latter of whom gave him two play-callers during his tenure.
O’Connell has been in place since the 2022 season, and while that could mean O’Connell and the staff are under pressure, it also means that Murray is in the most stable position he has been in for several years.
If continuity can help teams progress, it should also help Murray integrate.
O’Connell coached the Vikings to nine wins last season, despite all of the inconsistency at quarterback, so they just need Murray to raise the floor while hoping he rediscovers his ceiling.
Ex-Cardinals Teammate J.J. Watt Delivers Blunt Truth About Vikings’ Kyler Murray