When he was drafted with the first overall pick in 2019, Kyler Murray was supposed to be the quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals’ future, and for the first couple of seasons of his career, it looked as if that would be the case. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and made the Pro Bowl in each of the following two seasons, leading Arizona to the playoffs in 2021.
But then, his physical play-style and 5-foot-10 frame started to take a toll. He tore his ACL in Week 14 of the 2022 season and didn’t return until Week 10 in 2023. After a healthy and productive 2024 campaign, he played the first five games of 2025 before suffering a foot injury and ultimately being ruled out for the season. In his absence, Jacoby Brissett completed 64.9% of his passes for 23 touchdowns, eight interceptions, posting a passer rating equivalent to Murray’s first Pro Bowl season. The team went just 1-11, and the 33-year-old Brissett is not the long-term answer, but it could be worth giving him a full season to serve as a bridge.
The writing has long been on the wall for Murray, so it wasn’t a surprise when it was announced on Tuesday that the Cardinals would be releasing him at the start of the league year on March 11. Had he remained on the roster past March 16, Arizona would have owed him an additional $19.5 million on top of the $36.8 million that he’s already been guaranteed. Despite the roller-coaster last couple of seasons that Murray has experienced, he’s expected to have multiple suitors, especially since he’ll likely play on the veteran minimum.
Of the league’s most quarterback-needy teams, the Las Vegas Raiders can be ruled out immediately, as they’ll almost certainly be taking Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. The Cleveland Browns are deep in a cap hole and have two quarterbacks they’ll virtually have to keep in incumbent starter Shedeur Sanders and veteran Deshaun Watson, who has a massive, onerous contract and is coming back from a torn Achilles tendon. If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t retire, he’ll likely return to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Michael Penix Jr. might not have the Atlanta Falcons’ job fully secured as he rehabs his third ACL tear, but Murray might be too much competition.
The Miami Dolphins could be an option, as while it appears they prefer Green Bay Packers backup Malik Willis, he’ll likely come with a higher price tag. The Dolphins are currently over the cap and still have to work out the intricacies of moving on from Tua Tagovailoa. He might also find himself in the Big Apple, where the New York Jets will likely move on from Justin Fields and need a bridge quarterback to hold down the fort for another season, where a strong 2027 Draft class includes Dante Moore, Arch Manning, and Julian Sayin. If Murray doesn’t care about being a guaranteed starter, he could also join the Minnesota Vikings, who have clearly lost faith in 2024 10th overall pick JJ McCarthy.
If Murray ultimately joined Miami, he’d be joining a team in transition. The Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel during the offseason and replaced him with a defensive-oriented coach in Jeff Hafley, and they also released veteran wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Miami still has plenty of offensive infrastructure in place, though; De’Von Achane is a significantly better version of the dual threat that James Conner posed during Murray’s best season in 2022 and Jaylen Waddle is more dynamic than any receiver Murray had on that team. The Dolphins might struggle to protect him just as much as the Cardinals did this season, but they’re expected to take an offensive lineman in one of the first two rounds of the draft.
Similarly, New York could offer a promising running back-wide receiver duo after using its franchise tag on running back Breece Hall, the only player in 2024 to have both a 100-yard rushing and receiving game in the same season. The Jets also ranked marginally ahead of both Arizona and Miami by Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking and run-blocking grades, and 2025 first-round pick Armand Membou, who will be tasked with protecting Murray’s blind side, should only continue to improve after a solid rookie season. New York also offers an experienced offensive coordinator in Frank Reich, who helped steward the Indianapolis Colts to top-10 offenses in 2018, 2020, and 2021.
On paper, Minnesota offers the most intriguing setup. The Vikings are just one season removed from playing in a do-or-die game for the NFC’s top overall seed, and Kevin O’Connell is widely considered one of the NFL’s best head coaches, earning Coach of the Year honors in 2024. Minnesota has loads of talent on offense, with two-time All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson leading the way, and running back Jordan Mason was a positive surprise after serving as the San Francisco 49ers’ backup for much of the season. The Vikings also have the best offensive line among Murray’s three most likely suitors.
However, Minnesota has an incumbent starter that it has invested a lot in, and it’s also linked with former starter Kirk Cousins, who held the job in 2023 until tearing his Achilles. Unlike the 38-year-old Cousins, Murray is in need of a one-year prove-it deal to rehabilitate his value, and it’s not a complete guarantee that he’d get a fair chance to beat out McCarthy in camp. Plus, Minnesota currently has less cap space than any other team, while the Jets have the fourth-most and have a young, intriguing General Manager in Darren Mougey. After whiffing on Fields last season, Mougey could try again with a more experienced mobile quarterback this summer.
