Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Former New England Patriots Randy Moss interacts with followers earlier than the beginning of an AFC Divisional Spherical recreation in opposition to the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: David Butler II-Imagn Photographs.
Corridor of Famer Randy Moss stays on top of things on all issues Minnesota Vikings, the workforce that drafted him in 1998, and he lately revealed his freshest takes on the membership’s new quarterback, Kyler Murray. Briefly, Moss thinks Murray will prepare dinner in Minnesota, particularly with Justin Jefferson at his facet.
Coaching camp continues to be forward, however optimism round Murray retains constructing inside Vikings orbit.
The common season is 4 months away, so it’s not lengthy earlier than Murray will begin to ship a verdict.
Moss Sees Murray as Minnesota’s Lacking Piece
Do you agree with Moss that Murray shall be unlocked within the Twin Cities?
Minnesota Vikings broad receiver Randy Moss runs throughout motion in opposition to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Discipline in a traditional NFC Central matchup. Moss continued establishing himself as certainly one of soccer’s most explosive playmakers in the course of the 1998 marketing campaign. The file photograph was captured on Sep. 27, 1998, in Chicago, Illinois, throughout his historic rookie season. Obligatory Credit score: USA TODAY Sports activities.
Moss on Murray
Chatting with Bleacher Report, Moss opined, “I’ve always rooted for Minnesota. When you look at the success of the team, either good or bad, it has been because of the quarterback play. You had Sam Darnold, you had Daniel Jones. But you go with the youngster McCarthy, and he was not able to provide that answer, so you had to go out and get a guy like Kyler Murray.”
“What I’m excited about is the opportunity in front of Kyler Murray. He’s got a great wide receiver in Justin Jefferson, who now can try to regain his dominance as the No. 1 wide receiver in all of football. Kyler Murray also has something to prove.”
When Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has his beginning quarterback — Kirk Cousins in 2022 or Sam Darnold in 2024 — his workforce has gained at the very least 13 video games in a season. If accidents emerge and quarterback instability ensues, Minnesota morphs right into a middling-to-decent squad.
Moss added on Murray, “He was the future of the Arizona Cardinals, but they basically threw him away. If he’s able to deliver the ball to Justin Jefferson, everything else with the defense and every other weapon will be fine.”
“But all eyes will be on whether he can do that so they both can regain their dominance.”
How Murray Bought Right here
The Arizona Cardinals drafted Murray in 2019 with the primary total choose, changing quarterback Josh Rosen, who had been chosen in Spherical 1 the earlier yr. Murray would later stabilize the Cardinals’ QB1 spot for seven years whereas the franchise posted no playoff wins.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray attends UFC 274 at Footprint Heart throughout an offseason look away from the soccer discipline. Murray watched the occasion from the group on Could 7, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona, whereas remaining one of many NFL’s most recognizable dual-threat quarterbacks getting into one other essential Cardinals season. Obligatory Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Quick ahead to the 2026 offseason, and the Cardinals fired head coach Jonathan Gannon, hiring Mike LaFleur as his substitute. The Cardinals’ brass determined it was time for a contemporary begin at quarterback, and with Arizona possessing nearly no commerce leverage over Murray, they launched him in March.
Then, it turned a no brainer that Murray would register Minnesota — the Vikings wanted a quarterback to compete with J.J. McCarthy, and Murray was a Vikings fan as a child.
Ultimately, Arizona can pay Murray to play for the Vikings, as Minnesota signed him to a deal value $1.3 million for one yr.
A Delicate Reversal from Moss?
Moss’s endorsement of Murray is a slight reversal of his earlier feedback in regards to the Vikings’ offense. Ex-NFLer Alex Smith picked Moss’s mind on ESPN airwaves in December, asking him if broad receiver Justin Jefferson ought to stick round for the lengthy haul if McCarthy’s improvement took longer than anticipated, and Moss mentioned to Smith, “I wouldn’t. I would not.”
Followers would’ve anticipated Moss to inform Jefferson to have persistence, however he point-blank mentioned he’d discover a manner out if the choice have been as much as him. 5 months later, Moss is hyped about Murray and the upcoming chemistry with Jefferson.
In Moss’s protection, he had no manner of figuring out on the time that the Vikings touchdown Murray for the NFL’s model of free could be in play in the course of the offseason.
McCarthy as a Fallback
If, for some cause, Murray doesn’t take off inside O’Connell’s offense or if he will get harm — Murray has missed 26% of all profession begins because of varied accidents — McCarthy shall be prepared. He’s used the 2026 offseason to hone his mechanics, eat humble pie with Murray’s arrival, and observe a pure maturation sample.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy flips via the air after a deal with from Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell throughout first-half motion at Ford Discipline. The play unfolded on Nov. 2, 2025, in Detroit, Michigan, throughout a bodily NFC North showdown as gamers closed across the collision in the midst of dwell recreation motion. Obligatory Credit score: Junfu Han-Imagn Photographs.
It’s an underrated 2026 storyline for Minnesota: Will McCarthy be able to seize the second when Murray exits the lineup (for no matter cause), or will he nonetheless function his erratic play, intermixed with a weird tendency to get injured?
The Vikings’ best-case situation is likely to be for McCarthy to develop as deliberate. That’s — when O’Connell calls upon him in 2026, he steps into the huddle and appears the a part of an correct and productive signal-caller.
Till then, Moss has massive plans for Murray to blow up within the Twin Cities. He thinks the Vikings are on to one thing.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
