The Minnesota Vikings are seemingly in the market for yet another quarterback this offseason.
Although quarterback JJ McCarthy is not explicitly getting replaced anytime soon – at least that is what is being re-iterated by Vikings head coach, Kevin O’Connell – the team did announce their intention to bring in an experienced veteran to backup, and perhaps act as insurance for McCarthy.
There are a number of directions that the Vikings could go, but one that would not be a good idea according to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, is to add Arizona Cardinals quarterback, Kyler Murray.
The former Oklahoma star has missed time in four of the past five seasons, and after the team saw impressive play from backup Jacoby Brissett, in Murray’s absence – they could look to move on from him this spring.
But Knox claims that this would in fact be the “worst landing spot” for Murray – and would not benefit the Vikings.
Minnesota the ‘Worst’ Option For Kyler Murray
“The Vikings may want to bring in a veteran to push McCarthy or provide insurance at a minimum. Minnesota certainly won’t trade for Murray, but would it consider adding him as a bargain-bin free agent? It shouldn’t.” Knox wrote on Thursday. “And Murray shouldn’t want to join the Vikings, even though they have a QB-friendly coach in O’Connell and talented pass-catchers like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.”
Knox believes that although the Vikings are theoretically a good landing spot for a generic quarterback on paper, his skillset would likely not be a great match for O’Connell’s offensive scheme.
“While O’Connell helped rebuild QBs like Darnold and Jones, his system is better suited for a traditional dropback passer, which Murray is not. Despite having a much longer NFL resume, Murray might actually have a difficult time beating out McCarthy for the starting job—especially since the Vikings will go with the guy in whom they’re invested if things are close.” Knox continued.
“And if Murray can’t beat out an injury-prone and inconsistent McCarthy, his time as an NFL starter could be over.”
Would Kyler Murray Really Be a Terrible Fit In Minnesota?
Kyler Murray’s abilities as a player are not that of a traditional quarterback. For one thing he stands at 5’10 – only about an inch taller than the median male height in the USA. So a strong reliance on his mobility – something that continually hangs in the balance as he has faced injury after injury over the past half decade – is no doubt key.
Stylistically, this will not gel well – as Knox argues – as the backup for McCarthy, who is strictly a play-from-the-pocket type QB.
At the end of the day, Murray is an incredibly talented quarterback whom the Cardinals will be more than eager – in all likelihood – to shift this offseason, as it will net them over $35 million in savings, compared to releasing him. And top players can normally find ways to fit in wherever they are.
But environment and culture matters, and perhaps the -30 degree winters and traditional passing offense is not the best road for Murray – and vice versa.
Vikings Ranked As ‘Worst Landing Spot’ For Two-Time Pro Bowl QB