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Kyler Murray could take a drastically different turn in 2026.
The Minnesota Vikings are heading into quite the interesting 2026 season. There are a ton of questions about the franchise that need answering, and they begin with the QB position.
It has been confirmed by Alec Lewis and Tom Pelissero that the Vikings’ claims of a QB competition are true. Kyler Murray is the odds-on favorite, but many aren’t counting out J.J. McCarthy just yet.
The two are expected to push each other. The old belief is that competition is best for business, and the Vikings are no different.
Bleacher Report recently mentioned this battle in their “dream season” scenario for the Vikings.
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 04: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report justified their claim that a Vikings dream season is on the back of the two signal callers.
“Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy successfully push each other, leading to one becoming a bona fide franchise quarterback as this otherwise balanced and talented team makes a Super Bowl run.”
Just because the Vikings signed Murray, it doesn’t mean that McCarthy is done in Minnesota. Assuming the competition is fair, it will be a good thing for McCarthy. Competition drives improvement, and that is exactly what the former Michigan Wolverine needs.
He has had a lot of his short career ravaged by injuries. However, when he did play, there was legitimate cause for concern for his ceiling. Kyler Murray can bring the best out in J.J. McCarthy, and if he can’t, then Kyler Murray isn’t too bad of a different option to have in your back pocket.
Naomi Baker/GettyLONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 06: Blake Cashman of Minnesota Vikings reacts during the NFL match between New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 06, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Bradley Locker of PFF made the case for the Vikings to consider a trade of Blake Cashman.
“Once the centerpiece of Minnesota’s fabulous defense, Cashman could be on the move after a down year.
In 2025, Cashman didn’t look like the strong linebacker of the last two years. His overall PFF grade dipped from 72.0 to 63.6, punctuated by his 48.6 PFF coverage grade. Nevertheless, he was good as a downhill player with a 7.7% run stop rate and a 5.3% missed tackle clip.
In light of Cashman’s decline as well as this being the final year of his contract, the Vikings drafted linebacker Jake Golday in the second round as well as extended Eric Wilson. That suggests that either he or Ivan Pace Jr. could have their days numbered in purple.”
Sure, Cashman didn’t “grade out” the same in 2025 compared to previous campaigns. However, Cashman is still a valuable piece to the Vikings’ defense. That likely isn’t going to change in 2026 in what feels like a year in which Minnesota needs to go deep.
There are times to trade off valuable pieces; now is not one of them. If the argument materializes from the fact that Cashman is a free agent after 2026, then it becomes just a touch more understandable. However, in their explanation, there is no mention of Cashman’s contract status.
Therefore, should the Vikings trade Cashman? No, why would they trade one of the main ingredients of the cake ahead of a win-now year?
Brevan Bane Brevan Bane is a sports scribe covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals. Brevan began his writing career by making a platform on Twitter and leveraging his presence into writing and content creation opportunities for outlets like PurplePTSD, Vikings Territory, The Noise, Hockey Wilderness, and the VikesNow YouTube channel. You can follow him on X @brevmanbane. More about Brevan Bane
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