Former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter said the team’s decision on quarterback Kyler Murray beyond this season will depend on whether the sides can agree on a workable contract number during free agency.
The Vikings reached their Week 6 bye at 5-0 after beating the New Orleans Saints 23-13 on Oct. 11. Murray, brought in on a one-year deal after the club traded J.J. McCarthy, has taken the majority of the snaps in three games.
Against the Saints, Murray went 24 of 30 for 229 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions, finishing with a 109.6 passer rating. He also ran 10 times for 51 yards, with a long of 18.
That performance made Murray the first quarterback in Vikings history to throw for at least 200 yards on 80 percent completions while also rushing for 50 or more yards.
Through four appearances this year, he has completed 69 of 101 passes for 662 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, good for an 84.7 rating, and has added 93 rushing yards.
Minnesota also has Carson Wentz on a one-year contract, so the quarterback spot remains unsettled heading into the offseason. Murray’s deal includes language that prevents the team from using the franchise tag.
Carter discussed the situation on the Oct. 12 edition of “Up & Adams.”
“I don’t think there’s a certain number,” Carter said.” “I think because of what they’re trying to do, Jordan Addison’s up for a new contract, how much they’re paying JJ, and some other offensive players. I think if they can get Kyler, if everything works out this season at the right number, yes, he can be the guy.
But ultimately, if you don’t know who your quarterback’s going to be, you’re not where you want to be in the NFL. You either want to be in the top eight teams of the NFL or in the bottom four teams. You don’t want to be in the middle part. So we have to figure out the quarterback situation.”
Carter said he has liked what he has seen from Murray so far in Minnesota.
“I like where we are,” Carter said. “I like his overall growth and being in the locker room; I was at practice a couple of weeks ago, too. Being in the locker room when he was in the concussion protocol, there’s a good vibe.He’s never felt the relief that he feels because he doesn’t have to carry a franchise, not only because of the defense, not only because of the special teams, but there’s a guy named Justin Jefferson that kind of eats up a lot of that pressure, the interviews, and all those things. So he can kind of be incognito sometimes in Minnesota, which he’s never been able to do in his career, and that’s got to be a relief for any franchise quarterback.”
Justin Jefferson offered his view of Murray’s outing after the Saints game.
“He seemed to find a rhythm,” Jefferson said. “It was great. The off-schedule plays he made scrambling and using his feet to create first downs and build momentum were definitely big for us. When a play doesn’t look like much, but he’s making something out of nothing, that goes a long way for us.
“That’s something we were looking for and expecting from him, creating those plays, scrambling, and looking downfield to make those big plays. He played tremendously. We just have to finish those drives, especially with the two fumbles we had.”
The Vikings return Oct. 25 against the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium. Murray will try to keep building on the Saints performance as the club sorts out its quarterback plans for next year.
