Kyler Murray Top Landing Spots: 2026 NFL Free Agency Outlook

March 10, 2026

Joey identifies the top landing spots for free-agent quarterback Kyler Murray. His best landing spots for the former Pro Bowler include the Minnesota Vikings and more.

Things have gone downhill fast for quarterback Kyler Murray. After making back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances in 2020 and 2021, Murray hasn't been able to get back to that form under center. He tore his ACL during the 2022 season, missed half of the 2023 season while recovering from that ACL injury, and has struggled in each of the past two seasons as the Arizona Cardinals quarterback.

Last year, Murray didn't play much due to a mid-foot sprain. He appeared in the Cardinals' first five games before missing the final 13 weeks of the year. It was clear after the season that Arizona was going to go in a different direction at the quarterback position in 2026. As a result, the 28-year-old quarterback is expected to be released by the team on the first day of the new league year on Wednesday.

That will give Murray the freedom to sign with any team in free agency. So, which teams could the former Cardinals quarterback sign with this offseason? Will he only be looking for a starting job? Let's dive in and analyze the top landing spots in free agency for the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback.

Minnesota Vikings

The best landing spot for Murray is with the Minnesota Vikings. There is simply a lot to love about this landing spot for the former Cardinals signal-caller. He will get to throw to some of the top pass-catchers in the league and be part of one of the most exciting offenses in the NFL. Having head coach Kevin O'Connell run the offense could help Murray recapture his Pro Bowl form.

O'Connell is one of the best offensive-minded coaches in the game. He would put Murray in a fantastic spot to succeed in his offense, with a slew of weapons around him. The Oklahoma product would have an established WR1 in Justin Jefferson, a solid WR2 in Jordan Addison, and a top tight-end pass-catcher in T.J. Hockenson.

The last time Murray had a bona fide WR1 to throw to was during the 2020 season, when DeAndre Hopkins was his top wideout. That year saw him put together some of the best numbers of his career. He threw for 3,971 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions across 16 games.

The Cardinals haven't supplied Murray with enough talent on the outside in recent years. They signed a washed A.J. Green toward the end of his career, rolled with Marquise Brown as the top wide receiver for a few seasons, and Marvin Harrison Jr. has been slow out of the gate since being selected fourth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Things would simply be different in Minnesota.

There also appears to be mutual interest from both sides in potentially getting Murray in a Vikings uniform. The 2019 Rookie of the Year is set to meet with Minnesota on Wednesday once the new league year officially begins. If the Vikings weren't at least a little bit intrigued by signing him, they wouldn't be meeting with him. So, a deal is definitely possible.

From @GMFB: #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray looms as one of the biggest names out there. pic.twitter.com/e2OpdIcE4g

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2026

The addition of Murray would make this Vikings team better. Murray is an upgrade over J.J. McCarthy at the quarterback position, and the 5-foot-10 signal-caller does give Minnesota a better chance to compete in 2026. This landing spot also appears to be his top choice, as "the resounding belief" from SNY's Connor Hughes' sources is that he will sign with the Vikings this offseason.

If Murray does indeed sign with the Vikings, he would remain a low-end QB1 in fantasy. He has the weapons around him to succeed, and his rushing gives him a higher ceiling/floor than most other quarterbacks.

In his last full season in 2024, he ran for 572 yards and five touchdowns. In every season that he has played at least 14 games, Murray has finished as a top-10 fantasy quarterback (four times).

Pittsburgh Steelers

There are a lot of question marks about what the Pittsburgh Steelers plan to do at the quarterback position this year. The team rolled with Aaron Rodgers throughout the 2025 campaign, and many believed after the season that the Steelers would go in a different direction at the position for 2026. Then, the team hired Mike McCarthy to be its next head coach.

McCarthy and Rodgers are obviously extremely familiar with one another. Rodgers played for McCarthy for 13 seasons from 2006 to 2018 with the Green Bay Packers. They became one of the best quarterback-head coach duos, leading to nine playoff appearances, one Super Bowl victory, and 125 regular-season wins during these 13 years together. Rodgers also won two MVP Awards under McCarthy.

So, nobody knows Rodgers better than McCarthy. There's a strong chance McCarthy is also doing everything he can to reunite with Rodgers in Pittsburgh. It could be one last ride for these two.

However, Murray would actually be a nice fit for the Steelers if they decided not to pursue Rodgers. He would be the best quarterback that Pittsburgh has had in a few years and would immediately elevate this offense. Murray would be a better quarterback option for the Steelers than Rodgers at this point in their careers.

KYLER MURRAY ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 😱

📺: #LARvsAZ on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/gfHzqbrZ0w

— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024

Additionally, Murray could find some success in this offense. He has two solid wide receivers to throw to on the outside in DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., and there wouldn't be a lot of pressure on him to do the heavy lifting with a solid running game. Having Jaylen Warren and newcomer Rico Dowdle will make life easier for the 28-year-old quarterback under center.

If Murray to the Vikings doesn't wind up happening for whatever reason, this is the next best landing spot for him. He would be guaranteed a starting spot and has the potential to succeed in McCarthy's West Coast offense. McCarthy has one of the more quarterback-friendly offenses, which works in Murray's favor.

Cleveland Browns

There aren't many open starting quarterback spots remaining at this point in the offseason. The Las Vegas Raiders will likely select Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets just traded for Geno Smith, the Miami Dolphins signed Malik Willis in free agency, and the Arizona Cardinals obviously aren't a landing spot for him.

That leaves only a few teams in the hunt for Murray. The Vikings are definitely looking for a quarterback upgrade over McCarthy, and the Steelers need a quarterback to fill out their roster. The Cleveland Browns could also be a part of that mix, as their quarterback situation is certainly murky heading into the 2026-27 season.

Now, this landing spot is a bit more out there because the Browns already have a plethora of quarterbacks on their roster. The expectation is that Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson will all be battling it out for that starting job out of camp this summer. That makes this landing spot more unlikely than the other two on this list.

But if the Browns are all for getting the best quarterback to try and win, then Murray should be their go-to option. He would obviously win the starting job over Sanders, Gabriel, and Watson and would give Cleveland the best chance to win every week.

At this point, Murray is looking for a starting job. Whichever team can give him that is probably where he will end up. With many teams having already answered their quarterback needs this offseason, the former Pro Bowler could wind up in Cleveland. While this landing spot is a long shot, we have seen crazier things in the NFL before.

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