The Arizona Cardinals' quarterback room is quickly becoming one of the most up-in-the-air situations across the NFL.
Coming into 2025, there was little doubt about who the starter was. Kyler Murray hasn't quite been elite over his years in Arizona yet, but he has been well-above average, giving the squad more of a ceiling than any other options it could have had at quarterback. But as of Weeks 9 and 10, it's Jacoby Brissett, all of a sudden, who appears to have the grip on Arizona's QB1 job.
Murray has been dealing with a lingering foot injury that could sideline him another 4-to-8 weeks, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. That injury opened the door for Brissett to start — and that door may not close once again at all. On Tuesday, head coach Jonathan Gannon named Brissett his Week 10 starter despite Murray not being ruled out, backtracking on his prior stance that "nothing's changed" for Murray being the team's starter.
Murray could still reclaim his starting role, but his future in Arizona has never been more in question. Could he be heading for an eventual split from the Cardinals this offseason? What's the latest on his injury recovery?
Here's a look at Murray's current situation in Arizona, detailing the possibility he could play for another team in 2026.
MORE:Why did the Cardinals announce Jacoby Brissett as QB1?
What's next for Kyler Murray?
Murray's future, for now, appears very up in the air. The good thing is, the second half of the season should provide more clarity over time.
Murray appeared in the Cardinals' first five games this season, leading the team to a 2-0 start before three consecutive losses. The offense was below-average with him under-center, as he threw six touchdown passes with three interceptions in those games. In Week 6, Murray was then ruled out due to injury, meaning Jacoby Brissett would step in as QB1.
Brissett's years of experience have proven effective in running Arizona's offense. The Cardinals narrowly lost to the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers with Brissett, but the offense was clicking more consistently. Brissett then took down the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9; that's where everything's hit a turning point in the quarterback room.
Brissett's seven total touchdowns vs. one interception with 860 passing yards over three starts this season were far more impressive than what Murray did in the same offense. Tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. have also played better with Brissett leading the way.
Trey McBride has caught 4 TDs in 3 games with Jacoby Brissett.
He caught 5 TDs from Kyler Murray across 3 seasons. pic.twitter.com/t1XjdybnG9
— Underdog (@Underdog) November 4, 2025
Gannon initially said after Week 9 that "nothing's changed" for Murray as the Cardinals' starting quarterback, despite being injured. Then, on Tuesday, he changed course on those words — not only did Gannon announce Brissett as his Week 10 starter with Murray still not ruled out, but he then proceeded to tell a radio show that his quarterback decision would have been made even if Murray was healthy.
"In my mind, I take all the variables that I have to make a decision and make the decision when I need to and I think we're doing a pretty good job on offense," Gannon said, per ESPN. "I like what the offense is doing right now."
That leads to the conversations about Murray's future in Arizona. For now, he still has a very clear path to returning to the surefire QB1 role: get healthy, then impress upon returning to the field. According to ESPN, the Cardinals remain unsure whether or not they'll place Murray on IR, but after consulting with doctors, the quarterback may have a 4-to-8 week timetable for a return from his foot ailment.
"He's doing well. He wants to be out there," Gannon said of Murray, per ESPN. "He's a competitor. I talked to him today, but he's a good teammate and he's working to get healthy."
If Brissett continues to lead the Cardinals to wins, it will be difficult for Gannon to justify sending him back to the bench. That's been part of the conundrum he's faced lately. Murray was invested in as the Cardinals' franchise quarterback, both financially and vocally. If he continues being outplayed by Brissett, injured or not, he faces an extremely unsure future in Arizona.
In the scenario that Murray returns from injury, takes the field and looks like the best version of himself, the talks of his future with the team could be silenced. If he either remains on the bench or returns with disappointing results upon being cleared from his foot injury, he may just become the top quarterback on the trade market this offseason.
Arizona has spent seven years with Murray as its quarterback with little-to-no playoff results to show for it. At some point, the Cardinals are going to have to look themselves in the mirror and decide whether or not Murray is their "guy" or not — and if Brissett continues to shine, they could even wind up rolling into 2026 with the veteran still starting as a stopgap option for immediate contention, with Murray shipped elsewhere.
Nothing is imminent, but Murray's situation in Arizona, from his health to his status on the depth chart, will be worth monitoring in the second half of the season.
MORE: Full Jacoby Brissett career timeline, from Patriots to Cardinals
Could the Cardinals trade Kyler Murray?
Murray will not hit the open market as a free agent until 2029, so the only way the Cardinals could move on from him would be via trade. He'd be a complicated player to move for many reasons — not only does he carry a significant contract for three more seasons, but Murray is also a quarterback who can't be thrown into any system. His rushing skills and lack of a big arm would only make him a fit for certain schemes.
The 2025 trade deadline has come and passed, of course, so Murray couldn't be moved until the upcoming offseason. And for the most part, other NFL teams already have quarterback plans for the future. If the Cardinals signal they're ready to trade Murray, a new team is only going to acquire him to become a starter, as he's far too expensive to be a backup.
Looking at AFC teams (so Arizona could trade him to the opposite conference), there are a few franchises to monitor for any Murray sweepstakes. The Las Vegas Raiders found no success with Geno Smith this season and should be ready to move on from him, leaving a likely vacancy for a talented quarterback who can work with some strong win-now weapons already in-place. Pete Carroll's team could be a fit for Murray.
The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets also face uncertain futures at their respective quarterback positions in the AFC East. While the Dolphins still have the struggling Tua Tagovailoa's contract to maneuver, Murray's skill set wouldn't be too hard to integrate in Miami, and he would be an upgrade. The Jets, meanwhile, may have too far of a contention timeline to consider Murray — after trading two defensive stars at the 2025 deadline, the Jets now own three first-round picks in the next two years, one of which could be used to land their next young star quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints are a few more teams that could wind up being a fit for Murray in the right scenario, as each of those squads faces a more uncertain future at the quarterback position.
For now, the expectation shouldn't yet be that Arizona will trade Murray this offseason. His return from injury will provide the most clarity about his status in the organization — but if Brissett becomes "the guy" for the Cardinals, don't be surprised if Murray becomes the biggest name on the market in early 2026.
MORE:Why Marvin Harrison Sr. called out Cardinals' offense before Week 9 win
Kyler Murray contract
Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million extension with the Cardinals in 2022, which kicked in during the 2024 season. He has a club option in 2028, then would become a free agent in 2029.
According to Spotrac, Murray has a cap hit of $43,325,677 in 2025, which reaches over $53 million in 2026. Murray's $46.1 million AAV ranks 12th among NFL quarterbacks, which ranks just below Jalen Hurts and just above Deshaun Watson.
MORE:Winners and losers from the 2025 NFL trade deadline
How old is Kyler Murray?
Kyler Murray is 28 years old — which means that in NFL terms, he is just around his prime quarterbacking years, or approaching them soon. He won't turn 29 until Aug. 7, 2026, when the next NFL season is about to begin.