Kyler Murray was placed on injured reserve this week due to a lingering foot injury, raising questions about whether the star quarterback has played his last snap for the Arizona Cardinals. ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes this is a strong possibility.
Schefter cited a source on Saturday who said “a separation is imminent” between Murray and the Cardinals. Many expect Arizona to explore trade possibilities for Murray after the season and potentially release the former No. 1 overall pick if no deal can be reached.
Murray is set to receive $19.5M in new guaranteed money when the 2026 NFL league year begins next March. If the Cardinals release him before June 1, they would absorb a $57.7M dead salary cap hit. That money would be split into $50.5M in 2026 and $7.2M in 2027 if Arizona cuts Murray after June 1, Schefter notes.
If the Cardinals manage to trade Murray, they would save $35.3M in cap space while incurring $17.9M in dead money.
Kyler Murray has essentially been benched
While Murray is sidelined due to a foot injury, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon acknowledged this week that Jacoby Brissett would be the team’s starting QB even if Murray were healthy. Murray will now be ineligible to play for the next four games, and Brissett’s performance might have influenced Arizona’s decision to place Murray on IR.
Brissett has gone 1-2 as the Cardinals’ starter, but the offense has looked much better with him than it did with Murray. Brissett completed 21 of 31 passes for 261 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in an impressive 27-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. He has six touchdown passes compared to just one interception in his three starts.
While Brissett probably isn’t the long-term answer for the Cardinals at quarterback, he has clearly surpassed Murray this season, regardless of how Murray’s foot injury has affected the situation.
Kyler Murray should have some trade suitors
Murray signed a five-year, $230.5M extension with the Cardinals before the 2022 season. He hasn’t lived up to the contract, and injuries have played a big role. Still, he’s only 28 and has shown in the past that he can perform at an elite level.
Several teams have already been linked to Murray. Depending on the asking price, the Cardinals could generate significant interest if they inform rival teams that the QB is available.
