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(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings signed QB Kyler Murray earlier this off-season to a veteran minimum deal.
The agreement serves as a true insurance policy for Kevin O’Connell and his job security for 2026 and beyond. They knew they couldn’t just give J.J. McCarthy the keys this season after what happened in 2025. It was a year of injuries and incredibly inconsistent play, and Minnesota can’t bank on that to win games now.
Not only does Murray provide insurance, he also arguably provides a much higher upside for a Minnesota offense needing stability.
Recently, a former teammate of Murray opened up regarding his opinions on the situation.
GettyLOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 29: Inside linebacker Cory Littleton #58 of the Los Angeles Rams recovers a fumlble by quarterback Kyler Murray #1 as he got caught behind center A.Q. Shipley #53 of the Arizona Cardinals in the first half of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard was kind enough to share some words he had with Murray’s former teammate, A.Q. Shipley, with us.
Shipley spoke on playing with Kyler Murray during the QB’s rookie year in Arizona.
“I was with him his first year, and obviously as a rookie it’s tough. We had a veteran O-line group. I just wish he would be a little bit more forthcoming (vocally). I think it would go a long way for everybody. I think that’s part of your job.
“It’s kind of a lost art. You’ve got to be able to get in the huddle and look your guys in the eyes when it’s short yardage on third down. I’ve heard from some of the guys that he’s gotten better every year with that, but if you’re going to run a franchise, like, yeah Justin Jefferson is that guy, but he’s still looking to you.
Everybody looks to the quarterback. So I think it would be beneficial for him to do that, and hopefully he does.”
They were quite the honest words from Shipley. For Vikings fans, they seem to be words of concern. Instead of going to bat for a former teammate, Shipley was honest and voiced something that could hold Murray back with the Vikings.
Shipley did however have some hopeful words for Kyler Murray and his pairing with Kevin O’Connell.
“Kevin O’Connell is the best in the business. He really is. He does such a good job. I think it’s a dream scenario for a quarterback. If he ends up being the guy, which he should be, Kevin is going to be really good for him.
Kevin is big on the knowledge, understanding the whole picture. I’m not sure Kyler was ever fully held accountable to know that world. It started with, ‘Hey, he’s a great athlete so we’ll do what he does best, but not really teach him the whole gamut.’”
“I’m still a purist. I still love seeing Aaron Rodgers get to the line of scrimmage and dictate the show. I’m not sure Kyler technically can do that right now. So getting with Kevin will be really good.”
While Shipley was still skeptical of Murray to thrive in Minnesota, he did give some hope. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell may be able to bring out the best in Murray. O’Connell has been able to do that so far with quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold.
So, why wouldn’t he be able to do so with Kyler Murray, who arguably has a higher ceiling than either Darnold or Cousins?
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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