Not all quarterback moves are created equal. Some feel like they could change a franchise — others feel like a gamble that might not pay off. This offseason gave us both.
Love – Kyler Murray to the Minnesota Vikings
I don’t want to since I’m a Packer fan. But I really like this move for the Vikings. I’ve already gone more in-depth on it in a previous blog, but it comes down to this being the best situation Kyler Murray has had in his career.
Between Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, plus playing in Kevin O’Connell’s system, everything is set up for him to succeed. The talent has never been the question with Murray – it’s always been about consistency and staying healthy. There’s a reason he was the No. 1 overall pick, and those same reasons are why teams still believe in his upside. He may put it all together in Minnesota now with this cast and head coach.
That’s why I like this move. The Vikings aren’t asking him to carry the team, they’re putting him in a position where he just needs to play within a strong system. If he does that, this could end up being the best quarterback move of the offseason.
But not every quarterback move this offseason made as much sense.
Didn’t – Daniel Jones Deal with Colts
Two-year, $88 million deal worth up to $100 million with incentives. I just don’t understand this deal for the Colts.
It starts with the contract itself. It doesn’t feel like Daniel Jones has earned this kind of money – especially after we already saw a similar situation not work out with the New York Giants. He had a solid stretch with the Colts and even the Giants. But over seven seasons, I haven’t seen enough to justify paying him like a high-end quarterback. That concern only grows when you factor in that he’s coming off a torn Achilles.
When I look at the Colts’ success, I don’t see a quarterback carrying the team. I see a strong run game led by Jonathan Taylor and one of the best offensive lines in football. Jones played well at times, but this wasn’t a situation where he was elevating the roster – I actually think the roster may have elevated him. And now a significant portion of the salary cap is tied to him. The cap hit is manageable in 2026, but jumps significantly after that — and the Colts added void years to spread it out. That helps in the short term, but those cap charges don’t disappear. They just get pushed into the future, which can create problems later.
That’s what makes this move confusing to me. Between this contract and other aggressive moves such as trading for Gardner, the Colts are clearly trying to win now. But I have a hard time seeing a team led by Daniel Jones getting through quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, or Josh Allen in the playoffs. I know you may be thinking Mahomes and Jackson just missed the playoffs, but what do you think the odds of that continuing to happen are?
Ironically, this is the type of situation where taking a swing on upside — like the Vikings did — may have made more sense.
One of these moves feels like a perfect situation for a quarterback to succeed. The other feels like a risky bet on a player who hasn’t consistently shown he can carry a team. We’ll see how both play out — but they could end up defining how this offseason is remembered.
Have a take on this? Leave a comment below.