The Arizona Cardinals are facing scrutiny around the league following their decision to release quarterback Kyler Murray, with multiple NFL executives reportedly questioning the team’s overall strategy.
According to Mike Sando of The Athletic, several league figures were surprised Arizona opted to move on from Murray via release rather than exploring a trade market. The decision came after the organization signaled a shift at quarterback late in the 2025 season by handing starting duties to Jacoby Brissett, effectively reducing Murray’s trade value.
“The Cardinals released quarterback Kyler Murray instead of trading him, and it’s easy to see why. The team began telegraphing Murray’s exit last season when handing over the job to Jacoby Brissett, limiting its leverage in trade talks.
Some saw that as a missed chance.”
“I feel like they could have done a lot of different things, but they chose not to,” one exec said. “They just wanted him off the roster, wanted to save the $19.5 million (in 2027 salary that would have become fully guaranteed this month). They did not want to mess with it. I don’t know why. They don’t have a good enough roster where that $19.5 million really matters.”
Cardinals’ financial decision on Kyler Murray draws league-wide questions
Financial considerations played a central role in the move. By releasing Murray, Arizona eliminated the risk of his $19.5 million salary in 2027 becoming fully guaranteed, in addition to the $22.8 million already committed for 2026. Murray later signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings, who will cover a portion of his 2026 salary.
“I don’t know why you would not just keep him on your roster for the whole season and then figure it out next year,” another exec said. “You could probably trade him straight up off the $19.5 million, or if you cut him, then he’s making $1.5 million next year with someone else, so it’s an $18 million risk. If you can get a third-round pick for him, that is well worth the risk.”
Arizona chose to avoid that risk entirely, moving forward under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur with a quarterback group that includes Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis. The franchise also holds the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, positioning it to potentially select a long-term replacement.
“How were the Cardinals not able to trade him to the Jets, eat $35 million this year and then the Jets are on the hook for the $19.5 million next year?” the exec added. “That is basically two years at $25 million. The Jets would not have signed up for that?”
Instead, the New York Jets addressed their quarterback situation by signing Geno Smith, leaving Arizona without a clear return on its former franchise signal-caller.
As the Cardinals move forward, the decision to release Murray — rather than maximize potential trade value — continues to draw skepticism across the league.
