13 minute read
Week one of Free Agency is over, and the first and second waves have come and gone. The Vikings, to no surprise, stayed relatively quiet, outside of potentially the biggest needle-moving transaction of all 32 teams.
The Vikings entered the opening waves of Free Agency with moves of cutting and finding cap space, and entered Monday with roughly $15m in space. So far, their mantra has been to cut down on expensive, aging vets, and start focusing on a younger retooling and building around the core franchise players.
To provide context on how quiet it has been in Eagan up to this point: the other 31 NFL teams have spent a combined $2.3 BILLION so far. The Vikings, on two external free agents, have just barely spent $10m in total.
Now, that $10m doesn’t account for the players that have been retained, and cut, then not cut, up to this point either, as they have made critical moves on retaining important offensive skill players.
Overall, I expected this to be a quiet period for the team, but I am still satisfied with the moves so far. Let’s do a deep dive of Week 1, and look into what the second week may bring.
The (not so) Big Fish has Landed
Introducing Kyler Murray. Former 1st overall draft pick in 2019 by the Arizona Cardinals, Kyler adds experience, pedigree, and talent to a QB room that was volatile in 2025. The 5’10”, 207 lb, 28 y/o QB from Oklahoma adds a new element and play style to the team, one that we haven’t seen in quite some time.
Let’s do a look back at his journey: Kyler grew up in Bedford, Texas, and was considered an elite high school player, where as a Senior, earned the recognition of being the Gatorade Football Player of the Year, and being the first player ever to be named as Mr. Texas Football twice. Not only that, he was considered a 5-star recruit, and was ranked Top-50 nationally, according to ESPN.
While in high school, he won three consecutive state championships, as well as 42 straight games. As a matter of fact, he never lost a game for Allen High School, and graduated with a perfect 42-0 record.
He wasn’t just elite in high school either. He joined the college ranks by staying local and attending Texas A&M. In 2015, he mostly sat behind Kyle Allen, but did start three games in the middle of the season. In his first ever start, Kyler became the second QB since Cam Newton to put up:
- At least 100 yards passing
- At least 100 yards rushing
- Passing TD
- Rushing TD
in the their first start in the SEC in the last 20 years, at the time.
After his freshman year ended, Kyler transferred to Oklahoma and needed to sit out the entire 2016 season. Before the NCCAF Transfer Portal became a huge national news generator, there were a lot of limitations and frustrations for transferring players. Players were not allowed to play in games in the season following a transfer, and Kyler fell victim to this.
However, this did benefit Kyler’s development as, in 2017, he returned to the team in a backup role, this time behind Heisman winning Baker Mayfield, and put up great stats in a small sample. In this sample, he threw about 15 total passes, but had 304 yards and 3 TDs. He also had a few explosive runs mixed in.
Kyler finally got his chance to start in 2018, where he put up a monster year that resulted in him winning the Heisman trophy.
That year, he finished with:
- 4,361 passing yards
- 42 passing TDs
- 1,001 rushing yards
- 12 rushing TDs
That season cemented his greatness and legacy in college football history, and he was only getting started.
Fast forward to April 2019, where Roger Goodell came out on stage and read Kyler’s name as the first in the NFL Draft. Kyler was seen as a complex prospect, with opinions varying from each scout and reporter at the time.
He put a lot of haters to bed quickly, as he won Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, and started what appeared to be a bright future.
His tenure with the Cardinals was up-and-down to say the least. At the conclusion of his time in Arizona, he aggregated:
- 87 starts
- 38-48-1 record
- 2-time Pro Bowler
- 20,460 passing yards
- 3,193 rushing yards
- 153 total TDs
- 121 passing
- 32 rushing
- 2:1 TD:INT ratio
- 1 playoff appearance
Not only that, he is in elite territory with his usage and stats so far in his career:
Kyler is an established veteran QB entering his prime with a strong track record through every level of football to this point. He’s had a few injury concerns in recent seasons, including missing all but five games last season with a foot injury.
The question everyone is asking is whether he’ll be the day 1 starter or not. I certainly have my own beliefs and opinions, but I want to stay true to the facts, and Kevin O’Connell hasn’t given me a reason to think this won’t be a true competition throughout the spring and summer.
Kyler isn’t the traditional QB that you think of when picturing KOC’s ideal build. However, the concern of many reporters and fans feels a bit overblown. KOC does have a system he likes to stay true to, but Kyler is a player that will need to be schemed around if he does win the starting job. I’ll do a deeper dive next week of how Kyler and JJ McCarthy compare and fit, but Kyler has shown the ability to take snaps under center, and stand in the pocket and deliver the football.
I’ve seen concern about his deep ball passing, and ability to stand in the pocket and see the field properly in the recent days. Most of these concerns are what I consider recency bias, as Kyler has been a top deep ball thrower since entering the league, and has put up good tape, even in the limited tape with his recent injuries. Here’s a passing skeleton against the Rams in 2024:
Kyler has also had increases in his snap share while being under center, with it increasing to around 25% in ’24 & ’25. Early in his career, he was strictly in shotgun & pistol, and only took snaps under center around 3% of the time. He does perform at his best out of shotgun, and off-script, but I don’t have a lot of immediate concerns from a scheme standpoint and seeing how, both, KOC & Kyler will transform in the coming months.
This is also the best supporting cast that Kyler will have had around him up to this point in his career. He’s had strong performances with the likes of DeAndre Hopkins and Trey McBride, but Justin Jefferson is whole new level of talent, and will be exciting to see Kyler have a talent like that catching passes again.
To give context on how Kyler has performed with net-positive talent: In the 31 games that Kyler and DHop played together, they connected for:
- 194 receptions
- 2,443 yards
- 17 TDs
He also contributed to Trey McBride having the 6th most receptions and 11th most receiving yards by a TE in 2024. Both players are elite at their position, and Kyler was able to deliver the ball successfully and efficiently, so any concerns of Kyler’s ability to play with elite level talent should be minimal.
All in all, this is a great value move by the Vikings. Kyler will be getting paid $38m this season, and only $1.3m of that will be from Minnesota. If he competes and wins the job in 2026, this puts, both, Kyler and the Vikings in a great position to make this a long-term marriage if it is successful.
It’s not every day that a professional football team has a chance to get a second opportunity at finding a franchise QB entering their prime in free agency, but the Vikings have the opportunity to strike gold twice in three years. I don’t envision them making the same mistake twice if this marriage is a successful one.
Other Week 1 Moves
The rest of the first two waves of free agency were quiet for the Vikings, but the two biggest moves should pay dividends for the team in 2026. These moves aren’t going to send shockwaves throughout the league, but they are important value moves for a team that has a desperate need for improved depth.
Aaron Jones
He’s back! The news of Aaron Jones ending his Viking tenure were a bit premature, as even the NFL Insiders were reporting that he would be cut at the start of the new league year, barring a trade:
What wasn’t reported was the Vikings requesting Jones to take a pay cut, which would allow him to stay with the team for at least one more season. Jones cut his salary down to $5.5m, which is on par with Jordan Mason’s contract this season.
This move brings continuity to an offense that may have a new starter under center, or a younger player that will be making only his 11th start in the first week. This is also a low risk move that will allow the Vikings to draft a successor on the second day of the Draft if they wish, and if a talent falls in the draft.
Jones may not have the same quickness and top speed that he did in his prime, but he is still a good running back and provides a layer of versatility that the other RBs on the team do not possess.
Last year, Aaron Jones battled some injuries, including hamstring and shoulder injuries, that held him out of a five games. In the 12 games he started, he put up:
- 548 rushing yards
- 199 receiving yards
- 3 total TDs
His efficiency numbers are on the decline, including only averaging 4.2 yards per carry last year, which is down from his career average of 4.9 yards per carry. As I mentioned above, Jones’ value is his flexibility, where he can play in inside & outside zone schemes, run various routes out of the backfield, and be a net-positive in pass protection. He may not be a 3-down running back at this stage of his career, and I expect to see his usage continue to trend down, but his versatility and leadership provides tremendous value for an offense that may be evolving this year.
I’m happy to see Jones return for another season, and I think most Viking fans will feel the same way. If the team does proceed with drafting a RB with a top-100 pick, Jones is exactly the leader you want in the room to help develop and teach. I expect Frank Smith to find a way to utilize Jones, Mason, and whomever else joins the room to the best of their skillsets, and the committee approach should closely resemble the 2025 Miami Dolphins sin the Vikings version of De’Von Achane, at least for now.
James Pierre, Corner
James Pierre joined the Vikings on the opening day of Free Agency, signing a 2-year deal, valued at $8.5 in total. In total, he only has $3.75m in guarantees, and it a low-risk depth signing. This style of signing has become routine for the Vikings as of late, and Pierre should be a nice addition to a rather thin CB room.
He is a lengthy corner, standing at 6’2″ and weighs 185 Ibs, and will be turning 30 a few weeks into the regular season. I expect Pierre to compete for the CB3/4 spot throughout the spring and summer, but should have a good chance of contributing regardless, as he is an excellent special team player.
Pierre has been in the NFL since 2020, and joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as an Undrafted Free Agent out of Florida Atlantic. Entering his seventh season as a pro, Pierre has started 13 games and has accounted for 4 INTs and 5 forced fumbles thus far.
Through his first six years as a Steeler, his main contributions have been on special teams, particularly on kick & punt coverage. He did make spot starts throughout his tenure, and in 2025, he was graded as PFF’s second best corner:
Now, this is an extremely limited sample, as he only registered 377 total defensive snaps, which ranked 96th in the NFL. However, he has shown flashes and this signing is parallel of the Isaiah Rodgers signing from last year.
I don’t expect huge production or a high snap share for Pierre this year barring injuries, but the CB room has been thin in recent years, and this is a great depth signing. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see a 1st round pick join the room later this Spring, especially if one of top talents falls to 18.
What to Expect Next?
As we enter the third and fourth waves of free agency, I do expect the Vikings to make a few minute moves. Now that Kyler Murray has been signed, I expect the Vikings Front Office to turn their attention to adding more depth and competition to the weaker rooms on the team.
The two positions I have my eye on for this upcoming week is Center and WR3. With Ryan Kelly retiring, and Jalen Nailor inking a contract with the Raiders, the Vikings have a couple of holes to fill. A few WRs I can imagine are of an interest are Christian Kirk and Hollywood Brown. Both have played with Kyler Murray, and share a similar skillset of Nailor. Tai Felton will also take on a bigger role this year, and his development will be key for the battle of WR3.
I’d like to see an extension for Brian O’Neil this week, and I imagine there is motivation by both parties on getting this completed. Extending O’Neil would open more immediate cap space, and would lock down the bookend Tackles for the near future. O’Neil is still playing at a great level, and a pair of him & Darrisaw for years to come would provide whoever is under center trust to operate the KOC offense.
Lastly, I do expect more activity regarding Jonathan Greenard, as Jonathan Greenard’s name keeps getting floated in trade conversations. The Vikings are in a good space with their cap, for now, and he provides more value being on the team than not. A trade would open a hole at the third pass rushing spot, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up extending him at some point in the coming weeks.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a good yet quiet first week of Free Agency for the Vikings. The biggest move is, obviously, the signing of Kyler Murray. The Vikings appear to be setting the team up for a “competitive retool”, with the cycle of clearing out expensive veteran contracts and focusing on value signings and building through the draft.
The Kyler signing has me optimistic about this season, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the NFL decides to put the Vikings on Hard Knocks this year, especially with all of the early GM news, and now, the most notable QB battle of the off-season. Comment below if you would be excited for Hard Knocks, and if any moves the Vikings have made up to this point excites you.
Come back next week, where I’ll do a breakdown of any Week 2 FA moves and changes, and if it’s a quiet week, then I’ll focus more on the scheme fit for, both, Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy, and the upcoming QB battle.
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