There is optimism that the Minnesota Vikings can bounce back in 2026 after signing Kyler Murray. Even with the 29th-ranked passing offense in the league, the Vikings finished the 2025 season with a 9-8 record.<\/p>\n
However, not everyone is sold on the Vikings’ newest quarterback. Murray may be a two-time Pro Bowler, but he has only played a full season once over the past five years. That doesn’t pair well with J.J. McCarthy, who has only played in 10 of 34 career games, says Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n With availability between Murray and McCarthy among his biggest concerns, Gagnon says the Vikings have one of the worst quarterback situations in the league.<\/p>\n Why it’s Bad: In practically every way you can measure a quarterback, J.J. McCarthy was the least qualified passer in the NFL during his sophomore campaign. Now they’ve added Kyler Murray, who missed significant action in three of his last four seasons in Arizona and has a 90.3 passer rating since 2022.<\/p>\n Silver Lining: As with Atlanta, you’re looking at two highly drafted guys in their 20s working with strong weapons and a stellar offensive line. And if it’s a crapshoot, at least they get two rolls of the dice. They’re also both cheap.<\/p>\n Outlook: The problem is that both have proven injury-prone. It’s really hard to imagine either becoming a consistently reliable option.<\/p>\n For what it’s worth, Sam Darnold never played a full season before signing with Minnesota in 2024. He has started all 34 regular-season games and four playoff games since then, obviously culminating in a Super Bowl victory with the Seattle Seahawks this past February.<\/p>\n That doesn’t mean Murray will all of a sudden avoid injuries, but age and a scheme change could help him play smarter and better protect himself. If he can stay healthy, Murray can help the Vikings return to the playoffs in 2026.<\/p>\n