ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals - both fans of the organization and the team itself - are gearing up for a potentially special season in the desert.
After loading up the defense, Arizona has tools on both sides of the football entering 2025 - and it's a big season for many involved.
No lights are brighter than the one shining on Kyler Murray, however, as the seventh-year quarterback enters his most pivotal season based on previous play, expectations and what the future could hold.
On the Monday Morning Quarterback podcast, Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr and Albert Breer were discussing the Cardinals' upcoming season, and as expected, so too did Murray:
"I got myself into a little bit of hot water by predicting this in my 100 bold predictions, got a little dicey there in my Google alerts for a second, but you are now, guys, ... you're in year seven of Kyler Murray ... You have played three complete seasons," Orr said.
"You missed a big chunk of one and then half a chunk of another. You need to come out of this year either bound and determined to find a trade partner for him, or in my mind, you need to come out of this year knowing that this is a guy that you can build around for the long, long, long, long, long-term. He's 28 years old. After this season, the cap hit, there's sort of like one of those Bell Curve things. We're kind of in the fattest part of the dead cap this season, but it goes from $98 million to $57 million after this season.
"For people who think that's unsustainable, the Broncos made the playoffs with double that on the books - the largest amount of dead cap in NFL history. I think that this is the offseason where you could probably still get something for him. There's probably a team out there that's desperate enough to get him. My fear for Arizona is that you just sleep walk your way through nine or 10 years with this guy, and you're no better."
After Breer highlighted the Cardinals improved their roster to a point where a top pick isn't likely, Orr concluded with:
"That part of it's interesting too. But I think that you need to come out of this year knowing that Kyler is your guy or knowing that he's not, because you got year two of Marvin Harrison, you got a lot going for this roster. You got a lot going for it there."
According to OverTheCap, the Cardinals can save $35.3 million against the salary cap if they trade him prior to June 1 in 2026.