Kyler Murray’s season, and likely Arizona Cardinals tenure, over
Kyler Murray has battled an injury most of this season, and while he was also soft-benched, he’s officially being shut down for the season. That effectively means his time with the Arizona Cardinals is also over.
Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s tenure is likely finished
The Arizona Cardinals are highly likely to trade Kyler Murray this offseason, and now that he’s officially being ruled out for the year with a foot injury, it likely means his time with the team, which began with the first overall pick in 2019, is complete.
"It wasn't progressing in a way that we wanted, so we went and got a different opinion, some different people and kind of looked at it, and it's just not right," Gannon said via ESPN after deciding not to open the 21-day window for Murray to return from IR. "I just feel bad for the quarterback. He got hurt, and he wasn't healthy enough to play. So I mean, that's first and foremost. That's where I would leave it right now."
Murray went down in Week 5, and he’s been on the bench ever since. During that time, the offense was revitalized by Jacoby Brissett under center. While there was some uncertainty about Murray’s health, head coach Jonathan Gannon made it clear that, at that time, it didn’t matter. Brissett was the starter.
Now, it doesn’t matter. Murray won’t be back and won’t take his job back from Brissett, who isn’t likely to be the Cardinals’ QB next year either. Picking eighth right now, the Cardinals may very well draft a QB next spring and use Brissett or someone else as a short-term bridge. Murray is likely gone.
Gannon didn’t comment on Murray’s future, but the writing is on the wall. His style has aggravated Cardinals fans and potentially some coaches, and with how different the offense was with Brissett, it’s not hard to see that management is likely done with Murray. Fortunately, there should be some teams in the market for Murray, who has been a Pro Bowl QB in the past.
Depending on what happens with their current QBs, a few teams might want to swap in Murray. These include the Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, and Atlanta Falcons. Geno Smith and Tua Tagovailoa are expensive, but they’re also not good, so finding a way into Murray’s services might be ideal. The Falcons have questions with Michael Penix, who isn’t likely to play until at least midway through next season, and they can save money by moving on from Kirk Cousins this offseason.
Other teams with young QBs may want to try a veteran, if nothing else than to provide competition and mentorship. They could take the Indianapolis Colts approach and bring in the veteran who can take the job and lead them to success. These include the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, and Denver Broncos.
A few interesting cases: the New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets haven’t had a QB in a long time, and the draftees have struggled. So adding a veteran, someone who can actually play, unlike Justin Fields, would be smart. However, they’re more likely to draft someone.
The Colts are probably not going to sign Daniel Jones to a long-term extension, so they may want another veteran to start over Anthony Richardson. He’s been bad, and this is clearly a top-tier roster that the Colts want to win Super Bowls with, hence the big trade deadline. So going back to a developmental option is not as wise as adding Murray.
The Steelers make the most sense, though. At 6-6, they’re in the playoff race, but they’re likely to land outside the range for a top QB in the draft no matter what. Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been very good, and he’s not long for the NFL. Murray represents a capable option with higher upside and more long-term ability. He’s the best option for them moving forward, and they may be the best option for Murray, too.
