Vikings Rumors Start to Center on Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, Javon Hargrave’s Future

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Vikings Rumors Start to Center on Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, Javon Hargrave’s Future

Vikings Rumors Start to Center on Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, Javon Hargrave's Future — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) takes the field for the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images..

Dustin Baker · Vikings Territory

Sun, Dec 21, 2025 ·

6 min read

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With the season winding down and only a few Sundays left on the schedule, attention around the Minnesota Vikings is already drifting forward. Personnel questions are creeping into the conversation, and the league's rumor cycle is beginning to wake up as Minnesota edges closer to the offseason runway.

With Minnesota heading to New York, the rumor cycle is doing what it always does in December: linking the Vikings to star quarterbacks and potential cap cuts, even when the current plan feels set.

Ahead of Sunday's matchup with the New York Giants , here's where things currently stand in Vikings rumor territory — what's circulating, what's premature, and what's starting to feel inevitable.

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Joe Burrow throws a fourth-quarter pass at Paycor Stadium against the Seattle Seahawks. Vikings rumors Joe Burrow. — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow delivers a fourth-quarter pass at Paycor Stadium during an Oct. 15, 2023, matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, operating from the pocket late as Cincinnati protected a narrow lead. Burrow remained composed under pressure while managing the game's closing possessions, guiding the Bengals through a tight finish in front of the home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK.

Rumor: ESPN's Dan Graziano believes the Vikings could be a fit if Joe Burrow asks for a trade.

Joe Burrow's recent comments didn't stay confined to Cincinnati. His openly acknowledged frustration rippled across the league last week, quickly triggering familiar comparisons to Andrew Luck 's abrupt exit years ago — the rare kind of moment that made some confront retirement parallels.

ESPN's Dan Orlovsky didn't hesitate on the trade aspect if Burrow is that disgruntled.

Reading the teal leaves as more than just emotional candor, he framed Burrow's future in stark terms, saying , "It's the beginning of the end for Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. The organization has absolutely failed him. If I'm the Jets , if I'm the Raiders , if I'm the Vikings, if I'm the Steelers, I am figuring out a way, coming off of what happened just yesterday, getting together and saying, 'How do we get Joe Burrow? How do we start the process of making Joe Burrow our quarterback?"

Some of that list veers into fantasy. Pittsburgh, in particular, feels like a nonstarter — Cincinnati isn't shipping its franchise quarterback to its fiercest rival under any circumstance. That part of the speculation almost undermines itself.

Still, the takeaway matters. In Orlovsky's eyes, Minnesota belongs in the conversation, even if only as a theoretical landing spot. Whether that's realistic or not is a separate discussion entirely, but the fact that the Vikings were mentioned at all underscores how loudly Burrow's situation is now being discussed outside Ohio.

Rumor: Minnesota's need for Kyler Murray has diminished with J.J. McCarthy 's recent breakout.

Murray's name is in the upcoming quarterback carousel , and ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is among those framing the situation as one to monitor closely as the league's quarterback movement nears.

Fowler laid out the broader backdrop first, noting , "The quarterback trade market is worth watching, particularly with supply failing to meet the demand once again. Jones might be the next reclamation project QB to take off in a second act."

From there, he narrowed the focus to Arizona 's approach with Murray, writing, "This leads to a conversation on Kyler Murray, whom the Cardinals are subtly — or quite obviously — trying to stash to preserve his health for a potential trade this offseason. His nearly $37 million in guarantees on the 2026 books complicates the market for his services, but Murray is 28 and isn't far removed from fringe top-10-QB status."

Minnesota entered the discussion soon after. Fowler floated the Vikings as a theoretical fit, adding, "Does a safe landing spot exist for Murray? Working with, say, Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota would be ideal, but J.J. McCarthy has shown improvement over the past two weeks. The Raiders and Jets are among the teams that appear to be in transition at quarterback."

Kyler Murray is tackled by Rams linebacker Leonard Floyd at State Farm Stadium. — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is wrapped up by Los Angeles Rams linebacker Leonard Floyd during second-quarter action on Sep. 25, 2022, at State Farm Stadium, as pressure collapses around the pocket. Murray attempts to escape while the Rams' defense closes space quickly, disrupting Arizona's offensive rhythm in a physical early-season NFC West matchup. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports.

The caveat matters. When Murray's trade-or-release chatter first picked up steam a few weeks ago, McCarthy was struggling, and Minnesota naturally surfaced as a possible option. The landscape looks different now.

=Fowler concluded, "Whether a team takes a chance on Murray's maligned career — and gives up draft capital and financial resources to do it — remains to be seen."

For the Vikings, that uncertainty cuts both ways, especially with McCarthy's recent uptick changing how the position may be viewed internally.

The Vikings may not need Murray after all. They have a rejuvenated McCarthy who doesn't look like a draft bust.

Rumor: Safety DT Javon Hargrave will probably be released during the offseason.

Analyzing Minnesota's offseason pressure points, The Athletic 's Alec Lewis floated what he framed as an inevitability on Hargrave: "One of the more predictable offseason moves will be cutting defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. The reasoning? It's a combination of age, production and financial savings. Hargrave will turn 33 in February."

"He has flashed in spurts as a pass rusher, but his 3.5 sacks have been underwhelming. And the Vikings can create $11 million in room for 2026 by parting ways with him. The conversation with Jonathan Allen is more difficult. He's almost two years younger than Hargrave, and his contract doesn't offer as much flexibility."

Lewis spoke as if the decision were already penciled in. Until this week, though, Hargrave's name had lived more in speculation than consensus.

Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave pressures Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert at SoFi Stadium. — Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave pushes the pocket and applies pressure to Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert during first-half play at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 23, 2025, disrupting timing up the middle. Hargrave's interior rush forces Herbert to adjust his platform as Minnesota's defensive front works to control the line of scrimmage against Los Angeles. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.

He continued, "Minnesota could cut him with a post-June designation, further resetting the books. Jalen Redmond 's ascent, Levi Drake Rodriguez 's improvement and Elijah Williams' promise allow for some wiggle room. But the Vikings still desperately need another fearsome defender on the interior."

The Vikings could also promote rookie DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins , who has excelled in spots this season.

Hargrave as a one-hit wonder could be a thing.

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