There’s renewed talk about a potential Kyler Murray trade from the Arizona Cardinals with the quarterback mired in a contract stalemate with his organization.
Most recently, it was noted that Murray’s agent pulled a contract proposal after the Cardinals themselves failed to offer the former No. 1 pick a concrete extension.
Murray, 24, is eligible for an extension for the first time in his career after having started for the Cardinals over the past three seasons.
These new reports come following an offseason in which Murray scrubbed any mention of the Cardinals from his social media accounts and with continued rumors that Arizona might in fact listen to offers for the Pro Bowl signal caller.
Enter into the equation a Philadelphia Eagles team that had shown interest in new Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, among others.
General manager Howie Roseman and Co. might say publicly that they are sold on young quarterback Jalen Hurts. But everything we’ve seen from this team recently, including a blockbuster NFL Draft trade with the New Orleans Saints, places that into question. In short, the Eagles are not sold on Hurts. Perhaps, Roseman will offer up the farm in a Kyler Murray trade. Below, we look at how this might play out.
Related: Kyler Murray trade rumors, and a whole lot more
Any Kyler Murray trade would require multiple first-round picks heading to the Cardinals
By virtue of last offseason’s trade with the San Francisco 49ers and the recently completed deal with New Orleans, Philadelphia has two first-round picks in both the 2022 and 2023 NFL Draft. This gives the team a whole lot of assets to make a move for someone like Murray.
- Kyler Murray stats (2019-21): 67% completion, 11,480 passing yards, 1,786 rushing yards, 90 total TD, 34 INT, 93.9 rating
Those are some absolutely eye-opening numbers for an NFL quarterback with a mere three seasons of experience. Sure Murray joined the rest of his Cardinals team in struggling down the stretch in 2021. But he’s a legitimate franchise quarterback and has displayed flashes of being an MVP candidate throughout his young career.
You’re not going to acquire a player of this ilk without yielding at least two first-round picks, future draft compensation and a young player or two.
Despite his off-field issues, Deshaun Watson landed the Houston Texans three first-round picks and more draft capital from Cleveland earlier this offseason. If we’re inclined to believe that Arizona would also want players from Philadelphia in a hypothetical Kyler Murray trade, the draft pick component to this deal would be impacted. Hence, our next point.
Related: 2022 NFL mock draft
Jalen Hurts, others would head back to Arizona in Kyler Murray trade
Arizona firmly believes that it can compete with the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West. If the team is forced to move off Murray, it would likely want to acquire an immediate starter under center.
This is much different than the situation Houston found itself in leading up to the Watson trade. That is to say, Houston is in full-scale rebuild mode and valued draft picks over actual players in a trade.
- Jalen Hurts stats (2020-21): 59% completion, 4,205 passing yards, 1,138 rushing yards, 35 total TD, 13 INT, 84.7 rating (19 starts)
While these numbers are not comparable to what we’ve seen from Murray, they do show that Hurts boasts a nice amount of upside. After all, he did lead Philadelphia to the playoffs in his first full season as a starter.
If you add in a first-round pick in the 2022 and 2023 NFL Drafts as well as another mid-round selection, common sense seems to indicate that Arizona would also ask for another player or two. As for Philadelphia, it might want to move off a veteran contract to help make room for what would be a massive Kyler Murray contract extension.
Someone like veteran cornerback Darius Slay might make sense in this regard. He’d fill a whole for Arizona in the secondary. A move would also save Philadelphia cash down the line. If so, the Eagles would then likely have to offer up someone like former first-round pick Jalen Reagor as a sweetener.
Related: 2022 NFL Draft rumors
Potential Kyler Murray trade to the Philadelphia Eagles
- Eagles get: Kyler Murray
- Cardinals get: Jalen Hurts, Darius Slay, Jalen Reagor, two 1st-round picks, future 2nd-round pick