Kyler Murray to Vikings Fallout, Bargain Contract Signings Headline Day 5 of NFL Free Agency

We're on Day 5 of NFL free agency, and as one might expect, things haven't been quite as wild as they were on Day 1.

Of course, Monday's frenzy included a whopping $2.3 billion in contract offers.

Some notable deals were done on Friday, though most were of the budget variety. Largely overshadowing those bargain contracts, however, was the continuing fallout of Thursday night's Kyler Murray news.

The former Arizona Cardinals starter signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. That signing has led to a host of questions, which we'll examine here, along with a look at the latest buzz from Friday's activity.

Murray Signing Doesn't Erase Questions in Minnesota

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

The Vikings' signing of Murray really only provides one certainty. The 2019 first overall pick will get the opportunity to revitalize his career with a new team. That doesn't mean, however, he's guaranteed to get the starting job over 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy this season.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell made it clear that he's a long way away from naming a starter for 2026.

It also means that if McCarthy is going to be the starter in his third season, he's going to have to outshine a former Pro Bowler during the offseason—if Minnesota gives him the opportunity to do so. It's not hard to argue that Murray's arrival signals the end of the Vikings' McCarthy experiment.

If that's the case, other quarterback-needy teams might now consider McCarthy as a viable trade target.

Of course, the problem with moving on from McCarthy is that it would leave Minnesota without a surefire long-term plan at quarterback. Murray only signed a one-year deal, and it includes a no-tag clause, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Fans can probably expect the Vikings to hang onto McCarthy for the time being and conduct an open quarterback competition in the coming months. As B/R's Gary Davenport recently suggested when examining the ripple effects of Murray's signing, though, McCarthy is proably headed to the bench.

QB Options Dwindling as Steelers Wait on Aaron Rodgers

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QB Aaron Rodgers

Murray's deal with the Vikings also means that one more potential bridge quarterback is off the board. We also saw Tua Tagovailoa sign with the Atlanta Falcons, Malik Willis replace Tagovailoa for the Miami Dolphins, and Geno Smith traded to the New York Jets.

For the Pittsburgh Steelers, this means that the options are dwindling. They do have Mason Rudolph and 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard, but the defending AFC North champions should be hoping for more at the QB position this season.

It seems that Pittsburgh's Plan A remains 2025 starter Aaron Rodgers. The 42-year-old has no chance of being a long-term answer, as Willis or Murray could potentially be, but he showed last season that he can help the team reach the postseason. Of course, that's if he chooses to play in 2026.

Rodgers is again taking his time to weigh retirement against a return. And with Murray in Minnesota, Rodgers is probably picking between retirement and the Steelers.

But Pittsburgh is willing to wait and could be waiting for weeks before it gets an answer, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

"My understanding was Aaron Rodgers had planned to inform these Steelers of his decision at some point before the draft with plenty of time," Rapoport said on Good Morning Football (h/t Jacob Punturi of SI.com. "I would say likely end of this month." 

While the Steelers' Plan B may involve April's draft, it doesn't sound as if they're eager to take a quarterback early. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the "earliest" Pittsburgh will consider a quarterback is Round 3.

As of now, a few veteran alternatives remain available, including Joe Flacco, Tyrod Tayor, and Kirk Cousins—who was released by the Falcons on Wednesday. Expect the Steelers to at least kick the tires on each of them as they await word on Rodgers.

Teams Continue Bargain Shopping on Friday

AP Photo/Kayla Wolf

CB Nate Hobbs

During the early stages of the free-agency frenzy, it's important to remember that the teams spending the most money aren't guaranteed to have the biggest success. Second-wave signings can be just as impactful.

Pass-rusher K'Lavon Chaisson, for example, signed with the New York Patriots a week after the legal-contact window opened last year. He tallied 7.5 sacks in 2025, added three sacks in the postseason, and helped the Patriots reach Super Bowl LX.

Friday brought some potential bargain signings to the transaction wire. The San Francisco 49ers, for example, added cornerback Nate Hobbs. The 26-year-old battled injuries with the Green Bay Packers last season but has been a solid nickel back when healthy and has 43 career starts on his resume.

The Los Angeles Chargers, meanwhile, agreed to a one-year deal with longtime NFL starter Dalvin Tomlinson.

Tomlinson started all 17 games for the Cardinals last season and finished with 26 tackles and a sack.

The Tennessee Titans, meanwhile, sent a potential bargain to the market. They released cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, a former high-end starter who is still only 29 years old.

Snead battled injuries and inconsistent play during his two seasons in Tennessee, but he was a dependable 54-game starter with the Kansas City Chiefs before the Titans acquired him.

All of Friday's signings can be found on Bleacher Report's NFL Free Agency Tracker.