Jets get: QB Kyler Murray, 2026 sixth-round pick
Cardinals get: 2026 fourth-round pick
Midway through the 2025 season, it seemed clear that the Cardinals were out of the Kyler Murray business. His foot injury, which had been a week-to-week issue, suddenly escalated to the point where the 2019 No. 1 pick was placed on injured reserve and never returned. Jacoby Brissett played reasonably well in Murray’s absence and remains under contract in 2026. The Cardinals already changed coaching staffs this offseason, but whether to move on from the franchise quarterback is decided at the ownership level.
Arizona’s problem, as it tries to land a meaningful trade return for its quarterback, is that there aren’t many suitors for Murray because he will make more than $78 million in 2026 and 2027 combined before an opening to move on from his deal emerges in 2028. The Vikings aren’t in great salary cap shape. The Browns probably can’t afford to pay Murray and Deshaun Watson at the same time. The Falcons want to operate from under center. The Raiders are likely to draft a quarterback. The Colts will likely re-sign Daniel Jones. And Murray doesn’t seem like a good fit for what Mike McCarthy wants to do with the Steelers.
That leaves the Dolphins and Jets, who once fought as the final two suitors in a potential offseason trade for receiver Tyreek Hill; he chose to join Miami. It makes more sense for the Jets to push harder for Murray. The Dolphins just rebooted by firing Mike McDaniel, and they will spend 2026 getting out from Tua Tagovailoa’s deal. Those rebuilds can have quick turnarounds -- the Broncos made the playoffs while they were still paying off Russell Wilson’s contract -- but Miami doesn’t feel like it is a Murray-level QB away from competing for anything.