Kyler Murray is back in Arizona, but for how long?
The 2019 No. 1 pick had another productive season last year, posting the kind of numbers that most probably expected before he tore his ACL. Starting all 17 games for the first time in his career, Murray passed for 3,851 yards (his most since 2020) and 21 touchdowns. Murray also rushed for 572 yards.
It still, however, didnât translate into many wins. The Cardinals went 8-9 and missed the NFC playoffs for the third straight season.
With another potentially difficult year ahead, one NFL insider boldly predicts the Cardinals could look to deal Murray in the not-too-distant future.
âThe Cardinals will look to trade quarterback Kyler Murray before the 2027 season,â ESPNâs Seth Walder wrote. âAfter two seasons in which they are competitive but not threatening true contention, they will decide to deal Murray â who will have two non-guaranteed years left on his deal at that point â rather than extend him again.
âArizona will recoup real draft capital in the deal from a team that will instantly upgrade at the most important position.â
Will the Cardinals Trade Kyler Murray?
Murray is the No. 1 quarterback in Arizona, and that isnât going to change anytime soon. The Cardinals arenât that far from contending again, especially if the Los Angeles Rams have to deal with Matthew Staffordâs back issues all season.
The Cardinals came in at No. 17 â essentially middle of the pack â in ESPNâs power rankings.
âThe Cardinals have been pouring early draft picks into their roster over the past few years â 14 picks total on Days 1 and 2 over the past three seasons. The good young core is in place â tight end Trey McBride and cornerbacks Garrett Williams and Max Melton â but they need more ceiling-raisers,â analyst Ben Solak wrote.
Another year removed from knee surgery, Murray â who just turned 28 last week â could help raise the floor and change how the Cardinals are perceived around the NFL.
Should that happen, itâs possible the Cardinals hitch themselves to Murray for the long haul. But all bets are off with another sub-.500 finish.
Are There Concerns About Kyler Murray?
Murray will be 30 years old at the start of the 2027 season. Of course, thatâs still relatively young for a quarterback. Then again, with how dependent he is on running, Murray is a special case. Durability is always a concern with dual-threat quarterbacks, especially those as diminutive as the 5-foot-10, 207-pound Murray.
Nevertheless, there is still a lot to like about Murray.
ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky recently ranked Murray top 10 among quarterbacks in both second-reaction ability (No. 6) and rushing ability (No. 7).
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