The Cardinals will explore trades for Kyler Murray this week, but the quarterback’s camp is hoping the team releases him, Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports reports. That would be a best-case scenario for the 28-year-old Murray, who would have the ability to pick his next team in free agency.
Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort reportedly has not engaged with Murray since the end of last season. But Murray’s camp will meet with the Cardinals at this week’s Combine in Indianapolis, according to Vacchiano. It does not appear a decision on Murray’s future will be made in Indianapolis, per Vacchiano, but it’s hard to imagine him lasting much longer in Arizona.
Thanks to the five-year, $230.5MM extension former GM Steve Keim gave Murray in 2022, $19.5MM of his 2027 base salary will vest on March 15. A trade or release should occur by then. That’s especially true with the Cardinals having grown “frustrated” with Murray, Vacchiano writes.
Questions regarding the former No. 1 overall pick’s work ethic and leadership continue to hang over him seven years into his career. To make matters worse, the Cardinals are concerned that Murray will never fully bounce back from the torn ACL he suffered in December 2022. Murray’s dual-threat capabilities have been a major part of his appeal, but a source told Vacchiano that his mobility is “shot.” If true, it could put the kibosh on Murray ever turning back into an effective starter.
Arizona’s 2022 season had already gone off the rails before Murray’s knee injury, but he wasn’t far removed from earning original-ballot Pro Bowls nods from 2020-21. The Cardinals clinched their most recent playoff berth in Murray’s second Pro Bowl season. The Rams crushed them in the wild-card round, though, and neither he nor the Cardinals have come back from it.
Arizona lost 13 of Murray’s 19 starts from 2022-23, both 4-13 seasons for the team. There were at least signs of life in 2024. That year, Murray’s lone 17-game season, the 5-foot-10 signal-caller completed 68.8% of passes for 3,851 yards (7.1 per attempt), 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, a 93.5 passer rating and a career-best 63.4 QBR. As a runner, he racked up 572 yards on a hearty 7.3 per carry and added five more TDs. The Cardinals went 8-9 with a plus-21 point differential.
Whatever progress the Cardinals thought they had made two seasons ago was erased during a three-win 2025. Murray, who missed 12 games with a Lisfranc injury, didn’t play past Week 5. The Cardinals went on to fire head coach Jonathan Gannon after the season. His replacement, Mike LaFleur, is unlikely to coach Murray in Arizona.
If Murray gets his wish and the Cardinals release him before March 15, they would take on a $54.72MM dead money charge and lose over $2MM in cap space in 2026. That would not be a good outcome for the team, but ripping the Band-Aid off then would be better than designating Murray a post-June 1 cut. In that scenario, the Cardinals would spread $77.25MM in dead money over two years (including $70.05MM in 2026) while losing $17.39MM in space next season.
What an evergreen headline.
Imagine that. A once dangerous dual threat QB is no good once he can’t move. Hard to find a guy who can throw effectively enough to still be a threat once his legs aren’t what they used to be.
No that’s what’s wrong with both football and baseball…pitchers can’t pitch and QBs can’t lead a team and stand in the pocket and throw the football anymore. There are very few gunslingers left and the ones who can throw are successful, that’s the problem with making the entire league this dual threat quarterback kind of league. Same with these pitchers, they’re all trying to throw 100 and I get it, there have been like 7 percent of all pitches at 100 that have been hit for a home run in the modern era so everyone thinks if I can hit 100 I’m fine. The only problem is, you can’t be a one trick pony and think someone isn’t gonna learn how to hit you over time, and if they aren’t leaving from Tommy John it’s because the rest of the league catches on and starts tearing them apart everytime they’re on the mound. Same with these quarterbacks, the rest of the league adjusts and shuts down their ability to run and then they can’t throw so they’re fumbling, throwing interceptions, getting sacked or throwing it away at the very least towards the end of their careers and that’s inevitably how just about all of their last moments look. The entire positions aren’t what they used to be and it’s sad.
I have to fact check myself, it’s between 0.25 and 0.5 percent of all pitches 100 MPH or greater that are hit for a HR
“Frustration” Isn’t that going to be the title of his Autobiography?
With the amount of money he has banked for his lack of performance and attitude, I doubt he’s terribly frustrated.
well that’s certainly a lot of words…
Maybe he can go back to baseball.
Classic he doesn’t play the game because he wants to be great he plays because he’s naturally talented and can make buckets of money. Hard to blame the guy but frustrating on the fan base.
Murray’s mobility looked fine to me this past season….but his arm strength was not
He moved OK on the bench.
Never was going to be elite or able to take a team far.
That said if I were Jets I’d take him for this gap year if Cards eat the $ hard.
Hes way better than the turds they trotted out the last 4 years.