Kyler Murray Projected As 'Surprise' Trade Candidate

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated Feb 19, 2025 4:25 PM ET

The fate of several NFL quarterbacks is up in the air as franchises plan their futures. The Pittsburgh Steelers must decide between Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, the draft or free agency. The Los Angeles Rams are attempting to restructure Matthew Stafford's contract. The New York Jets announced their decision to move on from Aaron Rodgers.

So, why would the Arizona Cardinals trade away Kyler Murray, their franchise quarterback?

In an article highlighting five players who could be surprise trade candidates, The 33rd Team's Ian Valentino broke down the logic behind Murray leaving the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2019.

"Arizona still has Murray on its books for another four years and $29.9 million guaranteed, but he'll be angling for more soon.

"That looming new deal to get more guaranteed dollars is what could trigger an early trade. Does Arizona want to make Murray more than the 10th-highest-paid quarterback as he is now? If not, then calling the Jets, Giants, or Raiders could be the fastest way to sell high on Murray and help this regime revamp with a rookie in 2025 or 2026."

In 2022, Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract. If Murray were traded before June 1, the Cardinals would be subject to a $33 million dead cap hit.

Arizona has $71 million in available cap space next year, so even with a significant dead cap penalty from trading Murray or signing a plethora of free agents to bolster the offense surrounding him, the Cards have the financial flexibility to pursue any major shift in strategy or personnel.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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