Rams target $230m QB in Matthew Stafford contingency plan as NFL MVP edges towards retirement

Kyler Murray is an in-demand free agent.

The first-round pick of the 2019 NFL Draft is moving on from the Arizona Cardinals after seven seasons.

Getty

He was officially released on Wednesday as the new league year began, having revealed on social media days earlier that he never ‘wanted things to end like this.’

Murray leaves Arizona as a two-time Pro Bowler who won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in his debut season, before going on to throw 20,460 yards for the Cardinals, playing under a huge, $230 million contract.

He is not expected to be on the market for long.

Where could Kyler Murray land in 2026?

Murray is scheduled to visit with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, where he would likely walk into the starting role.

Despite finishing with a respectable 9-8 record last season, the Vikings were bettered by the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers in the competitive NFC North, and didn’t reach the playoffs.

Their quarterback situation was far from ideal, with J.J. McCarthy failing to do enough to lock down the starting position in his second year.

Despite a promising debut in September, McCarthy battled injury once again, and his future is under threat having led the team to a 6-4 record when fit.

Veteran Carson Wentz stepped in for five of the other games, while undrafted free agent Max Brosmer was also handed a start in Week 17.

To say Minnesota’s QB situation was unsettled in 2025 is quite the understatement, and Murray has been tipped to help them moving forward.

In fact, a deal to bring him to the North Star State could be done ‘in the next 24 hours’ — but he could have other options on the table too.

Getty

Getty

“Kyler Murray will visit with the Minnesota Vikings tomorrow,” longtime Arizona Sports 98.7 radio host John Gambadoro shared on Wednesday.

“A starting spot is a priority, and Minnesota does offer that and a deal could be done in the next 24 hours.

“But Murray and his camp are expected to explore several options as a backup in 2026 for teams that could need a starting QB in 2027 over the next 24 hours.”

Kyler Murray could be perfect contingency plan for Super Bowl contenders

While Gambadoro touted the Vikings as a potential landing spot, his suggestion that Murray could explore other options has been backed up by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

The 28-year-old will reportedly meet, by Zoom, with executives from three to five teams that potentially have a quarterback need next in 2027, to get a head start on next year’s free agency.

According to Florio, those teams could include the New York Jets, who have just signed Geno Smith, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cleveland Browns, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Los Angeles Rams.

Getty

The last franchise, perhaps, is the most interesting of the five.

Los Angeles are a perennial playoff team, and starting QB Matthew Stafford has just been named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.

But he’s now 38, and was said to be considering retirement before the 2025 season kicked off. He returned for the Rams, and led them to the NFC Championship Game before landing the league’s top individual prize.

The team have been linked with a number of other signal callers in recent weeks, but with a fairly weak QB draft class beyond projected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, it could make sense to look in Murray’s direction instead.

NFL's Greatest......

Ranking the top 10......

Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?

Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?

Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and more

Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?

Los Angeles has plenty of talent on its roster, which would be appealing to a seven-year veteran like Murray.

He could sit behind Stafford as the backup in 2026, while the reigning MVP plays out the final year of his contract, before stepping into the starting role.

Or, Murray could sign a one-year deal with the Vikings, and bank on hitting the market again next year, having laid the foundations for a delayed arrival at SoFi Stadium.

Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.