The Arizona Cardinals need to make key decisions regarding their quarterback situation. One of those has to do with Kyler Murray and a small factor that could actually save the team $19.5 million.
This appears to be an imminent divorce between the Cardinals and Murray. On Friday, the Cardinals officially announced that Murray won’t play again this year. The contract situation states that the Cardinals owe Murray $39.8 million fully guaranteed for next season.
NBC News reported that if Murray stays on the roster for the fifth day of the 2026 league year, the Cardinals would owe $19.5 million more to the quarterback. Hence, the Cardinals need Murray to be healthy before the day the guarantee vests. This is key because if he isn’t healthy, they can’t save that money.
Jacoby Brissett hasn’t been as big of a downgrade
Brissett has played very well this season to be fair. Even if the team isn’t winning, Brissett has not been the one to blame. He is completing 67.5% for 2,188 yards and 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.
The Cardinals need to solve their quarterback situation not because Brissett is bad, but because they need an elite talent. Brissett’s downfall is that everybody knows his ceiling, he won’t take the franchise to new heights. To be fair though, Murray has failed to do that as well.
This has happened for four-straight years
In 2022, the Raiders shut down Derek Carr to minimize future financial commitments, In 2023, the Broncos did the same with Russell Wilson and last year, the Giants did it with Daniel Jones. This is the fourth year in a row where a team sits a quarterback in hopes of saving money.
A trade also remains possible but that would mean the Cardinals would have to pay a big part of the $39.5 million that Murray would earn in 2026. Instead, they would rather cut him, which would allow him to sign a veteran minimum contract while the rest of the money is paid by Arizona.