The Minnesota Vikings beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-16 in a road win that marked Kyler Murray's return and a chance for him to thank his defense. It was Murray's first game since September 13 against the Packers and it was a tense one as Justin Jefferson suffered an injury scare.
Now 3-0, the Vikings will welcome the Dolphins to the Twin Cities on October 4, in a game that Minnesota will be heavily favored in. Murray passed for 168 yards on 15-of-29 passing for 168 yards against the Bucs, while throwing for one touchdown and one interception in his first full game as a starter. The Vikings were outgained by Baker Mayfield's team, causing many to wonder about whether Wentz would be better off steering coach Kevin O'Connell's ship going forward.
Would Wentz be a better choice than Murray? There are several factors to consider.
The case for Kyler Murray
Murray is the Vikings' prized offseason addition with a strong pedigree as a former first overall pick in 2019. Murray fell out of favor in Arizona after two short seasons in 2023 and 2025 that cast doubt on his durability. His Week 1 concussion against the Green Bay Packers revived those doubts.
When healthy, Murray is a solid option for O'Connell's team. He has better talent surrounding him in Minnesota than he did in Arizona for the most part and a Brian Flores-led defense that can shut the door on opposing teams in a hurry. That's exactly what the Vikings defense did against the Buccaneers on the road in Week 3 as Murray struggled to find his timing and rhythm against a fired-up and desperate Bucs team.
Murray and his Vikings teammates have full confidence in him, but shaking off the rust is going to take time. Murray has played in less than 10 games since the start of the 2025 season and is still settling in, a scenario that is in direct opposition to the expectations of Minnesota fans, who have watched the Lions, Bears, and Packers rule over the division lately.
The case for Carson Wentz
Wentz is a steady hand as a backup quarterback who also has a great deal of support from his teammates. The former top overall draft pick in 2016, Wentz continues to hang around as an option for teams in need of a journeyman quarterback. Wentz has a strong arm and great leadership abilities and looks like a good fit on the Vikings, who want to win with the run game and, ultimately, defense.
Wentz gives the Vikings a strong, durable, reliable quarterback who knows how to avoid the big mistake and lead his team deep into the NFL Playoffs. He has more experience than Murray which is something that fits the Vikings' win-now mentality.
That being said, Wentz is limited compared to Murray in terms of his athletic ability and ceiling. He isn't quite as statistically inclined as Murray in terms of sheer production and that could put the Vikings at a disadvantage against high-scoring NFC North contenders later in the year.
The Vikings should stick with Kyler Murray
Murray overtook JJ McCarthy and Wentz for the starting job at the beginning of the season and he has an upside that is undeniable. He wasn't the most reliable quarterback in terms of his durability and avoiding the big mistake in Arizona but he has a new lease on life in Minnesota with a contending team.
Murray is still working his way back to being completely healthy and the Vikings need to give him more chances to reach that goal. The good news is that coach O'Connell has two capable backups ready in case Murray falters. For now, he is the right guy to put fans in seats and the guy who gives Minnesota the best chance to win.