Several teams will be hunting for a new starting quarterback this offseason. That group could include the Arizona Cardinals, who are expected to move on from Kyler Murray. After all, the Cardinals benched Murray late in the season after he proved ineffective, winning just two of his five starts.
Though, Murray is still under contract through 2027. The Cardinals even have the ability to exercise a team option that would keep him under contract through 2028.
However, it’s possible that the Cardinals either cut or trade Murray long before then. If a trade is their preferred route, how much would another team have to offer for the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft?
ESPN’s Cardinals insider Josh Weinfuss recently gathered intel from a pair of anonymous league sources. The NFC source believes that the starting point for a trade involving Murray would center around a second-round pick.
However, a separate NFL source compared Murray’s situation to that of Geno Smith’s last season, believing the Cardinals’ QB’s trade value would be equivalent to a third-round selection.
“That source compared Murray’s situation with Geno Smith’s when he was traded from Seattle to Las Vegas last March for a third-round pick. The source pointed out that Smith was more consistent during his last season with Seattle than Murray was in his five games with Arizona this season, however, the source added that Murray “is a more talented player.””
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss on Kyler Murray
For a team that won’t have a chance to select Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick, trading a second-day selection for a two-time Pro Bowler could be enticing. Especially considering many analysts project only one quarterback to be worthy of a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Murray has a $52.6 million cap hit for 2026. Of that amount, $29.6 million will be fully guaranteed if he’s on a roster on the fifth day of the league year.
However, if the Cardinals decide to trade Murray before June 1, Arizona will face a dead cap charge of $17.9 million. Though, they would save $35.3 million on their 2026 salary cap.
If the Cardinals drag their feet and trade Murray after June 1 (after the NFL draft), their 2026 dead cap charge would be $10.7 million. Plus, they’d then face another dead cap penalty of $7.2 million in 2027.
With the Cardinals still determining who their next head coach will be, it’s possible Murray gets brought back into the fold. Or, perhaps the next coach will want to pick their own QB. Either way, Murray’s status with the Cardinals appears to be up in the air, but Arizona may be open for business when it comes to dealing their former franchise QB who will turn 29 before the season starts.
Related: NFL Insider Reveals Arizona Cardinals’ Top Two Coaching Candidates to Watch
