Head coach Kevin O'Connell officially named Kyler Murray the Minnesota Vikings' Week 1 starting quarterback for 2026, ending a training camp battle with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy that most expected would run throughout the preseason. The decision to name Murray the team's QB1 may not surprise many, but it creates an interesting situation for the Vikings' future at the position.
Since the Vikings signed Murray to a one-year deal with a no-tag clause in free agency, their future beyond 2026 at quarterback remains completely open. There are several options Minnesota could consider after the 2026 season, but one core question is whether the decision to roll with Murray signals the end of McCarthy's tenure with the team that drafted him
No. 10 overall.
Whether the team decides that McCarthy isn't the long-term answer at the position, or the move to Murray simply signals the end of the 23-year-old's stint with the Vikings, O'Connell and the front office will have a big decision to make in 2027. We're going to break down their potential options, including three names not currently on the roster that could be worth monitoring after 2026.
Kyler Murray earns a long-term contract with Vikings
One positive that could be taken away from the quarterback competition wrapping up before the Vikings' preseason opener is that there's a possibility the 29-year-old made a very strong impression. If Murray did seize that opportunity and left the coaching staff feeling confident in his ability to lead the offense, then the decision next offseason could come down to negotiating a long-term deal with him.
That's probably the "ideal" outcome in this scenario, assuming Murray plays well in the upcoming NFL season. If that does happen, the only real conversations would be about Murray's new contract and how to handle the final year of McCarthy's rookie deal. Trading the former first-round pick could be very much on the table in that situation, which would simply result in the Vikings needing to add a backup signal-caller.
2027 NFL Draft, free agent and potential QB trade targets for Vikings
This is where things could get really interesting for the Vikings, as the 2027 NFL offseason could potentially include one or two notable free-agent quarterbacks, a few possible trade candidates and several names to watch in the draft.
Potential free agent QB options and J.J. McCarthy for Vikings in 2027
From a free agency perspective, there remains a possibility that Baker Mayfield could hit the open market, as he and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have yet to come to an agreement on a contract extension. Beyond that, a few names worth keeping tabs on include Mac Jones after his strong stint with the San Francisco 49ers, Anthony Richardson, Tua Tagovailoa, and a few others such as Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett and Justin Fields.
However, there remains the possibility that the Vikings and McCarthy opt to give things another year and see how it looks heading into the next offseason. If that is on the table, it would likely only happen if Murray were to struggle as the team's starter this season. I'm not overly optimistic that McCarthy starts for the Vikings at any point beyond this season, barring something significant changing.
From the names above, I'd imagine Mayfield and Jones would make the most sense.
Names to monitor: Baker Mayfield, Mac Jones
Quarterbacks who could become trade targets
The topic of potential 2027 quarterback trade topics is a tough one to gauge entirely at this point. It's purely speculation as to whether most names will even be available in trade talks, but there are a few signal-callers that should be mentioned.
The first and biggest name on the list is Lamar Jackson. There's no outrageous reason to believe the Baltimore Ravens are even remotely interested in trading Jackson, but until the 29-year-old signs a contract extension, there's bound to be interest in the possibility.
Another name that stands out is the Carolina Panthers' former No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young. The Panthers haven't committed to Young beyond the 2027 season, and the question of whether they'll offer him a high-dollar contract extension looms large ahead of the new season. While Young struggled in his first two seasons, he had a solid 2025 campaign, completing 63.6 percent of his passes for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
If the Vikings are open to working out a trade, either of those names could be worth monitoring if they don't sign new deals first.
Names to monitor: Lamar Jackson, Bryce Young
2027 NFL Draft quarterbacks to monitor for Vikings
The NFL draftcould be the ultimate final landing spot for how the Vikings choose to address their quarterback situation beyond this season. This primarily stems from the fact that the 2027 draft class has the potential to be filled with talent, upside and players who have the combination of both. Below is a list of a few names who will either be in the 2027 NFL Draft or are considered likely to declare.
- Dante Moore, Oregon
- Arch Manning, Texas
- CJ Carr, Notre Dame
- Darian Mensah, Miami
- LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
- Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
- Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
- Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Names to monitor: TBD
That's a strong list of possible NFL draft prospects at the quarterback position, and it's also only the beginning of the list of players who could opt to make the leap. It's hard to peg the names worth circling for the Vikings as possible fits, as that may largely depend on how the 2026 season goes. However, if Minnesota falls in love with one player and is looking to move up in the draft, anything could be a possibility.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Vikings 2027 QB conundrum: Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, trade talk & NFL draft targets
