The Arizona Cardinals are officially pulling the plug on Kyler Murray. According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, they will release the former No. 1 pick on the first day of the league year next Wednesday.
The timing of that decision is crucial, since he’s still owed a fully guaranteed $36.8 million, and the Cardinals would’ve had to add $19.5 million if he were still on the roster on March 15.
Murray only played five games last season, completing 68.3 percent of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. He also had 29 carries for 173 yards and one score.
The Cardinals placed him on Injured Reserve and rolled with Jacoby Brissett even when he was reportedly ready to come back. Now, they’re officially moving on from their former franchise cornerstone. Considering that, Pro Football Focus named five potential destinations for him next season.
Kyler Murray Will be a Sought-After Commodity
Per PFF, the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons might all be in the mix for Murray, and there’s a case to be made for all of them.
The Vikings are reportedly exploring all options after falling out of love with J.J. McCarthy. He’d come with injury concerns as well, but might be Kevin O’Connell’s latest reclamation project.
The Jets, on the other hand, have a revolving door at quarterback, and it became painfully evident that Justin Fields wasn’t the answer to their prayers. On the downside, Murray might prefer a more playoff-caliber team.
The Dolphins have a struggling, big-money quarterback of their own. Moving on from Tua Tagovailoa would come with a massive dead-cap hit, but the writing is on the wall after benching him late last season.
Aaron Rodgers’ decision still looms large for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s contemplating retirement again, so they might want to have a backup plan.
Last but not least, the Atlanta Falcons might not be entirely sold on Michael Penix Jr. now that Kevin Stefanski has taken the reins of the team.
Whatever the case, Murray will have a strong market, since he can be signed to a one-year, low-budget “prove it” type of deal. Whether he’ll silence the critics and show that he still has plenty left in the tank remains to be seen.
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