Out of all the burning questions the Arizona Cardinals face after a three-win season and bringing in new head coach Mike LaFleur, there’s one in particular that will be repeated nonstop until an answer is provided: What is going to happen with Kyler Murray?
It seems more likely than not that the Cardinals and their starting quarterback since 2019 will part ways this offseason, but if the exit is via trade, who will end up trading for Murray and what will Arizona get back in return?
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell predicts the answers to both of those questions will be the New York Jets in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft while Murray plus a 2026 sixth-rounder go the other way, per his article his article on 11 possible NFL trade proposals.
Unsurprisingly, the main reason the Cardinals could potentially only receive Day 3 compensation for the former No. 1 overall pick is the price tag for his services.
Arizona’s problem, as it tries to land a meaningful trade return for its quarterback, is that there aren’t many suitors for Murray because he will make more than $78 million in 2026 and 2027 combined before an opening to move on from his deal emerges in 2028.
Barnwell mentions eight teams that currently have questions about the quarterback position, but whittles down Murray’s potential suitors to two teams: the Dolphins and the Jets.
He sees Miami being hampered by trying to offload Tua Tagovailoa and exploring a rebuild while New York and head coach Aaron Glenn have more incentive to make a bold move.
Glenn could be coaching for his job in Year 2, and though he will trust his ability to turn around the defense, finding a veteran quarterback who can win a few games is critical.
Swapping a Day 3 selection for a quarterback who ranked 14th in Total QBR over the past two years won’t hurt an organization that has a ton of draft capital after the Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner trades…
With nearly $79 million in cap space, the Jets also have plenty of money to spend.
Barnwell’s hypothetical trade compensation is spot-on to what ESPN’s Benjamin Solak alluded to in his article about the current quarterback market. Despite plenty of financial incentive to get a deal involving Murray done once March 11 arrives, it’s possible that his market won’t be as hot as hoped or teams that are interested won’t throw in a better return unless Arizona retains salary.
The Cardinals could also explore the option of an outright release, but that would come with having to wait until after June 1 to divide a $54.7 million dead cap hit over two seasons. Murray would also see an additional $19.5 million in guaranteed money come his way if he’s still in Arizona by March 15.
With the new league year less than a month away, Barnwell proposes the reality that it may be better for the Cardinals to get what they can for the quarterback rather than letting him go for nothing.
The Cardinals would save $34 million on their 2026 cap and that $78 million or so in cash over the next two years if they trade Murray before June 1. It’s never fun to see the face of the franchise dealt for a Day 3 pick, but I would suspect that the new staff was interviewed and hired with the understanding that Murray wouldn’t be staying in Arizona for much longer. So a Murray trade might be about landing the best available deal instead of waiting for the right one.
from Arizona Sports https://ift.tt/NQjYowZ
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