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Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday! While the Arizona Cardinals aren’t playing in the big game, they still find themselves in headline thanks to Kyler Murray trade rumors.
Murray, with a new coaching staff in town, truly feels like an unknown entering the 2026 offseason. And while yesterday ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler said the door is still open for Murray to return, there’s different messaging from co-worker Adam Schefter.
What Adam Schefter Said on Kyler Murray’s Future
“As the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals navigate the future with new head coaches, both teams would like to find trade partners for their starting quarterbacks,” Schefter said Sunday.
“The Dolphins would like to explore trading Tua Tagovailoa; ditto for the Cardinals and Kyler Murray . But it remains unclear whether a deal for either quarterback is feasible given the financial hurdles for an acquiring team.”
The messaging out of Arizona on Murray’s future has been hot and cold. Murray is just 28-years-old and very much still in his prime. At his best, he’s a quarterback that can make throws across the field and has elite athleticisim.
However, inconsistencies have haunted Murray for all seven years of his tenure in the desert. Through his seven years in Arizona, the Cardinals have made the postseason once with no playoff wins.
READ: What New Cardinals HC Said on Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray’s Financial Hit
Perhaps the biggest hurdle in trading Murray would come financially. Murray is still on his $230.5 million contract.
“If the Cardinals release Murray before June 1, they would take on a $54.7 million dead cap hit. Designating Murray as a post-June 1 cut would spread out the money over two years,” wrote Schefter.
“Trading Murray would create $34.7 million in cap savings for the Cardinals while leaving behind $17.9 million in dead money, which would seem to be a more attractive alternative if Arizona can find a trade partner.”
The Cardinals move into the future with some massive questions surrounding the quarterback position. Arizona certainly has the cap space to absorb a hit this offseason, though the ultimate question is if new head coach Mike LaFleur believes he can work with him.
Schefter highlighted the Dolphins, Cardinals, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings as teams potentially looking for quarterbacks.
Murray’s trade value is believed to be either a second or third-round pick — you can read more about that here.