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The Minnesota Vikings are expected to meet with quarterback Kyler Murray after he officially becomes a free agent on Wednesday (March 11), NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday (March 10).
Rapoport appeared on Good Morning Football with fellow NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero and said that Murray hasn't yet officially entered free agency during the NFL legal tampering period, which has halted the Vikings, who have been reported to be his favored landing spot, from negotiating with him.
"He has not been announced as a free agent by the Arizona Cardinals despite the fact that he took to the Twitter machine and said goodbye himself. So that means teams that are interested, Tom, including the Minnesota Vikings who I think it's fair to say as we've been reporting are a favorite to sign Kyler Murray have not been able to speak with him. I expect that to ramp up tomorrow when his release is official but until and unless the Arizona Cardinals go public with their plans to say goodbye to Kyler Murray he is stuck in a little bit of a limbo situation and you and I can spend 24 hours or more kinda just talking around it."
Murray broke his silence after the Cardinals reportedly informed him that they planned to release him at the start of the new league year last Tuesday (March 3). The former No. 1 overall pick's confirmation came shortly after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the team informed him of their intention to release him on the first day of the new league year Wednesday (March 11).
"Sources: Cardinals have informed QB Kyler Murray that they intend to release him on the first day of the league year next Wednesday, barring a trade between now and then. Arizona already owes him $36.8M guaranteed in 2026, and another $19.5M would have triggered on March 15 for 2027. He now will be moving on," Schefter wrote on his X account. "Arizona has a new HC in Mike LaFleur and a GM in Monti Ossenfort, who didn’t draft Kyler Murray, and they will now look to find the next QB for the Cardinals as Murray’s seven-year run comes to an end."
Rapoport had previously reported that the Cardinals were expected to release Murray barring a last-minute trade on March 1.
"You got Kyler Murray, a likely release from the Arizona Cardinals, absent some sort of last-minute trade, which I'd be a little surprised about," Rapoport said during NFL Network's live broadcast from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
Murray was reported to be expected to have interest from the Vikings, who reportedly plan to sign a veteran quarterback to push former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, as well as the Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers once he hits the free agency market. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that the Vikings were interested in Murray or former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith via trade.
"I've also heard that the Vikings are considering Murray and [Geno] Smith as they outline their veteran quarterback plan," Fowler reported via ESPN.com.
Murray was limited to just five starts in 2025 due to a mid-foot sprain he sustained in Week 5 and was shut down in December after it was reported that his injury was not healing as expected. The former Heisman Trophy winner was selected by the Cardinals at No. 1 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft and was the 2019 NFL Rookie of the Year, as well as a Pro Bowler during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but has been limited by injuries, having played 11 or less games in three of the last four seasons.