Vikings QB Room Named One of the Worst in NFL
· Yahoo Sports
If you are excited about the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback changes in 2026, mainly the addition of Kyler Murray, CBS Sports does not share your enthusiasm. That website ranked Minnesota’s quarterback group as the NFL’s seventh-worst heading into the summer.
Minnesota’s quarterback group has risk, but calling it one of the league’s worst feels premature.
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It’s the latest evidence to suggest that Murray’s stock is at its lowest.
Murray’s Track Record Makes the Ranking Hard to Defend
Seventh-worst? Really?
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) looks on during action against the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 31, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Murray continued his return from injury late in the season while Arizona evaluated its long-term direction at quarterback entering another pivotal offseason for the franchise. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY SportsCBS Sports: Vikings QB Room Isn’t Good
Garrett Podell of CBS Sports decided seventh-worst for the Vikings’ QB room ranking, explaining, “One would think the Minnesota Vikings’ signing of two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray would keep them off this list, but that’s not the case. Murray earned his Pro Bowl selections in 2020 and 2021. That’s a lifetime ago in NFL years. From 2022 to 2025, Murray missed 30 of his possible 68 games.”
“In the five games Murray played for the Cardinals in 2025, he averaged a career low 227.0 total yards per game. Recent first-round pick J.J. McCarthy was the worst quarterback in the NFL in 2025, which sparked the signing of Murray. McCarthy’s performance was simply incredible considering the offensive ecosystem under 2024 Coach of the Year Kevin O’Connell.”
Murray is in town on a contract worth $1.3 million. The Cardinals are paying him to play for the Vikings.
“Despite an electrifying supporting cast, McCarthy ranked dead last in the league in completion percentage (57.6%), touchdown-to-interception ratio (11-12), and passer rating (72.6). Murray could rediscover his early career form with Minnesota,” Podell continued.
“Murray is one of just four players in NFL history with 20,000-plus passing yards (20,460) and 30-plus rushing touchdowns (32) through his first seven seasons, joining Josh Allen, Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson. Week 1 starter: Kyler Murray.”
Little Faith in Murray, McCarthy, and Wentz
Vikings fans are enthused about this year’s quarterback trio, primarily because the franchise finished 2025 with a 9-8 record, despite posting the NFL’s fifth-worst quarterback performance per Dropback EPA/Play. Adding Murray feels like a serious remedy to an even graver malady.
It’s just that the NFL populace doesn’t agree yet. It has to see Murray thrive in Minnesota to believe it. After all, a team as lowly as the Arizona Cardinals got rid of Murray in favor of Jacoby Brissett and Carson Beck. That’s pretty damning.
Minnesota now has a quarterback with something to prove in Murray, a man with upside in the 23-year-old McCarthy, and a gritty veteran named Wentz in case the other two flounder or get hurt.
The Sam Darnold Lesson
In 2024, the Vikings signed Darnold from free agency, and fans groaned. The club was really going to embark on the Kirk Cousins afterlife with Darnold, who was certifiably the butt of jokes at the time? Indeed, they were.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy shares a postgame moment with Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota following the final whistle on Dec. 7, 2025 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The exchange paired Minnesota’s young franchise passer with a veteran quarterback frequently connected to offseason rumors and backup speculation. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn ImagesThat offseason, though, Minnesota knew what it was doing, even if folks groused when Darnold signed on the Vikings’ dotted line. He’d later post 35 touchdowns in Minnesota, fully reclaimed his career, and after the Vikings were done with him, he went on to win a Super Bowl with the 2025 Seattle Seahawks.
Compared to Darnold, Murray starts his post-Cardinals adventure with much more proven production. Murray isn’t a punchline like Darnold was two years ago. Perhaps it’s not the best time to write off the Vikings’ decision-makers before seeing Murray’s time unfold. If they struck oil with Darnold for a season, there’s no reason to believe Murray can’t achieve the same outcome.
Browns Take the Cake as the Worst
Who has the quarterback situation in football? That’s the Cleveland Browns, says Podell.
He wrote, “There is no quarterback room more chaotic than that of the Cleveland Browns. There’s the husk of Deshaun Watson, a quarterback who tore his Achilles in 2023 and once more in his rehab process in 2024, set to enter the final season of his five-year, $230 million fully-guaranteed contract in 2026.”
“Then you have the lightning rod that is 2025 fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders, the son of Deion. Despite being blitzed on 24% of his dropbacks since his NFL debut in Week 11, Sanders faced pressure on 51% of his dropbacks, the highest such rate in the league. Dillon Gabriel, a 2025 third-round pick, started in Weeks 5-11 for the Browns.”
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) runs with the football during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 19, 2025 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Wentz used his mobility to extend plays as Minnesota’s offense searched for momentum during a matchup against one of the NFC’s top contenders. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn ImagesAll signs point to Watson starting for Cleveland in September.
“Then, there’s 2026 sixth-round pick Taylen Green, a player with so much athletic potential that fans are begging him to switch to wide receiver. It’s the final year of Watson’s contract, and if he can still move around after two Achilles tears, he’s the quarterback who has experienced the most NFL success with three Pro Bowl selections,” Podell concluded.
The Vikings’ first regular season game is less than 16 weeks away, when Murray can deconstruct the CBS Sports narrative.