Kyler Murray’s Video Games, Ed Ingram, Jonathan Greenard

It’s time for VikingsTerritory’s weekly batch of Nopedy Nopes, which are Vikings-themed things that did not work out, horrible takes, or items that have emerged as total falsehoods.

The series has spanned over two years — because the internet’s outrageousness never quits.

These are this week’s Nopedy Nopes.

The Kyler Murray Gaming Rumor Gets Another Reality Check

The Nopedy Nope: Kyler Murray has a video game problem.

Cardinals tight end Trey McBride played with Murray for four years in Arizona. He knows the guy.

Bussin’ with the Boys hosts asked McBride about Murray’s alleged ardor for Call of Duty, and he replied, “It was never really a thing. He never talked about playing video games, but every single week he was in the media…he never talked about gaming or anything. I think they were just finding any stat to get on him.”

McBride added about Murray’s on-the-field tools, “Kyler’s not the tallest guy. He’s a baseball guy, so he throws from every different arm angle. He’s scrambling around so he’s a very different quarterback than I’ve played with. It was cool, we had a lot of success together.”

If McBride ran around with Murray for four years, and Murray never mentioned video games, Murray’s so-called obsession is likely entirely false.

The Verdict: Unsurprisingly, Murray’s career is not affected by excessive video game consumption.

The Nopedy Nope: Ed Ingram flunking out of the league after the Vikings traded him.

The Vikings traded Ingram to Houston in March 2025, and he’s just all smiles these days, now existing on the Texans’ roster as one of the NFL’s best guards, according to Pro Football Focus.

Ingram spoke to a new station in Houston this week, KPRC2, and mentioned the Texans: “What better place for me to be than Houston? I came here, I excelled. Shout out to Cole Popovich. He never let me get complacent, and he always challenged me.”

“Personally, I’ve always thought I’m a great player. All I need is the right person to help me. Coming here was probably the best thing to ever happen to me in my career, coming here and having a coach.”

Vikings fans were actually happy when Minnesota traded Ingram. Tables have turned.

Ingram continued, “Pretty much take me under his wing and kind of hone in my skills, because the skills were there. It just needed to be honed in and just controlled a little bit. It has helped me out tremendously.”

“I love Houston, I love this team. It’s just like an energy you feel just walking into the building with this team. The Houston Texans, it’s a different feeling. Everybody’s close, tight-knit. We all are in this together.”

The Verdict: Ingram was unlocked in Houston, unlike Minnesota, where he was mediocre. He’s thrilled to be off the Vikings’ roster.

The Nopedy Nope: Trading Jonathan Greenard was smart.

ESPN’s Seth Walder sized up every team’s offseason this week, outlining moves he enjoyed and disliked. For the Vikings, he admonished the Greenard trade.

Walder explained his mindset: “Move I disliked: Trading Edge Jonathan Greenard for two third-round picks. During the draft, the Vikings dealt Greenard, one of their best players, to the Eagles in exchange for two third-round picks.”

“I don’t think it was worth it, especially in the current trade environment for high-end players. Despite only three sacks in 12 games last season, Greenard’s 23.2% pass rush win rate at edge would have ranked fourth at the position had he qualified.”

It’s worth noting that he championed the Kyler Murray signing: “The best thing about the Vikings’ offseason is them signing Murray to a veterans minimum deal, which was possible due to his offsets from his contract with the Cardinals. It was a boon for Minnesota.”

“Murray’s services would be worth many millions more on the free market, and he provides an answer at quarterback in the wake of J.J. McCarthy’s rough 2025 season.”

Greenard secured a lucrative contract in Philadelphia, which is not unexpected for a top-tier EDGE.

The primary hurdle for the Vikings was the financial commitment. A four-year, $100 million contract (or a similar figure) exceeded what the Vikings were initially willing to spend. Heading into the 2026 offseason, Minnesota prioritized judicious cap management and value-driven acquisitions. They largely avoided significant expenditures unless the deal was exceptionally favorable, as was the case with Kyler Murray, but not with Greenard.

While the Eagles could apparently accommodate such an expense, it was not feasible for Minnesota. So, the Vikings pursued a different strategy, acquiring James Pierre (CB), Ryan Van Demark (OT), and Jauan Jennings (WR) in free agency for considerably less. Jennings’s $8 million deal indicates that Minnesota wasn’t entirely frugal, but they certainly weren’t splurging.

Greenard’s 2025 statistics also complicated matters. Three sacks for an average of $25 million per year, even if market-driven, is head-scratching.

The Verdict: On trading Greenard, ESPN said “nopedy nope.”

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker