Kyler Murray was released Wednesday after seven seasons with the Cardinals. Kavin Mistry / Getty Images
March 11, 2026Updated March 12, 2026 12:43 pm EDT
The Minnesota Vikings are expected to target free-agent quarterback Kyler Murray, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday, league sources tell The Athletic. Murray was officially released at 4 p.m. ET, the start of the new league year.
News of the Arizona Cardinals’ plans to release Murray broke on March 3 after the quarterback’s seven-year run in the desert fizzled out. Arizona selected Murray first in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he earned Rookie of the Year honors that season, but he largely underwhelmed beyond that.
Murray is ranked No. 40 on The Athletic’s list of the top 150 free agents of 2026. He is the third-best quarterback available.
Murray, 28, went 38-48-1 as the Cardinals’ starter. He made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2020 and 2021, and in 2024, he surpassed 3,000 passing yards for the fourth time. He appeared in just one playoff game, though, a wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.
Last season, Murray played in only five games because of a foot injury. He finished the season on injured reserve, and speculation about his future in Arizona spiked. Murray went 2-3 in those appearances and tallied 962 passing yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions.
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