The Arizona Cardinals are in a tricky situation with quarterback Kyler Murray and his contract. If he doesn’t perform this season, it may be time for the team to move on from their once-prized signal caller. On the other hand, if Murray returns to form, it would be a huge boost for the franchise. Fortunately for him, he’ll have the most talented group of skill-position players he's ever worked with in Arizona this season.
Still, the pressure is on. If Murray doesn’t deliver, his hefty contract could quickly become a burden the Cardinals may no longer want to carry.
“Murray’s dead cap number almost halves after this season,” Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr wrote. “The former No. 1 pick is not a bad quarterback, but the Cardinals will likely conclude that the club has maximized Murray in Arizona and that it’s best to recoup some kind of draft asset before pivoting. Murray had a six-game stretch at the tail end of last season in which he failed to top 100 in quarterback rating, and he has played just one fully healthy season since 2020. While a lot of this is not Murray’s fault and is often the reality of playing for a team bad enough to qualify for the No. 1 pick, Arizona will prepare for larger-scale changes after finishing in the NFC West basement.”
But in a bold trade proposal from CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, the Cardinals acquire Bryce Young, offloading Murray to the Panthers.
“Murray may still be eyeing a true breakout, but he fits the profile of a Dave Canales project as a gifted but unsteady veteran; Canales, remember, all but got the Panthers job thanks to his revival of both Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield. And Arizona? They're still finding their bearings under Jonathan Gannon, so is it really that much of a risk to go from Murray to Young, who ended 2024 with conviction? Maybe a move to the desert could truly spark his growth,” Benjamin wrote.
The Panthers would get veteran experience under center, while the Cardinals would land a young quarterback who finished last season strong. For now, Murray appears safe in Arizona—but the right trade offer could change everything.
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