What happened: Albert Breer points to an offense with significant talent in its prime and a veteran defense suited to Brian Flores’ scheme. Minnesota named Kyler Murray its starting quarterback on Aug. 11.
Why it matters: The combination gives Minnesota a path to compete on both sides of the ball while putting the quarterback transition at the center of the season. That outlook depends on Murray converting the supporting talent into sustained offense.
By the numbers: Murray signed a one-year contract in March after seven NFL seasons and 87 starts.
What to watch: Minnesota’s regular-season opener will provide the first measure of how quickly Murray and the offense have meshed.