The Kyler Murray to The Vikings Rumors Are Very Unlikely to Materialize
First off, this would indeed be a remarkably exciting move. Sure, Kyler Murray struggled in the postseason, but it’s not like the current Vikings QB has been sensational in the playoffs.
We should back up, though. All of this trade chatter began with Murray deleting all of the Cardinals material on his social media. Unless I’ve missed something, there aren’t any photos of him in an Arizona uniform. He must have known that this would cause an online hubbub, and yet the decision was made. Even more interesting is that (again, unless I’ve missed something) Murray hasn’t done much to stop the rumors from flying, as Florio discusses over on PFT. His agent also refused to comment on the matter.
Oh, and Murray grew up a Vikings fan.
It’s possible that this is merely a negotiation ploy. Perhaps he’s showing his current team that he’s willing to look elsewhere, giving him a better chance to play hardball (not in a literal sense; he does have a baseball background) in negotiations.
What happens, though, if he does want out of Arizona? Could the Vikings actually bring in Kyler Murray?
Frankly, it’s very unlikely. The asking price would likely be several high picks and perhaps even more than that. One wonders if Danielle Hunter would be part of the deal. Then there’s the issue of what to do with #8. The 45-million-dollar man would either need to be included in the trade with the Cards or sent elsewhere.
Murray carries close to a $11.4 million cap hit in 2022. Cousins’ $35 million is much more difficult to manage for an acquiring team. Not impossible, but difficult. Some have suggested that the Vikings would move around some of the money to ensure they’re the ones eating up more of the contract, and I’m certainly not going to say that it’s impossible they do so.
The appeal with Murray is obvious. A former first-overall selection, Murray offers an elite upside that Cousins doesn’t possess. He’s supremely capable of picking up yards with his legs, as anyone who has watched even a single game knows. Plus, he’s only 25, so one could reasonably conclude that he could be a QB solution for a decade +.
The concern – other than the massive amount of draft capital required to get him – is that he has previously expressed interest in playing in the MLB. Would he ever leave football for baseball? Also, there are some concerns about his long-term health. Can a running QB who is only 5’10 hold up over the long term?
Given all that’s been mentioned, it’s hard to envision this trade actually materializing. Now, I’ve been wrong before, and some insist wrong is my default position. Be that as it may, can we really see the Vikings making this happen? Improving at the game’s most important position is always desirable, but the team’s issues go well beyond just QB.
One thing’s for sure: if KAM did pull this off, Vikings fans far and wide would be as excited as they’ve ever been.
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