While disappointing for the former No. 1 overall pick, Friday’s news doesn’t change matters for the 3-9 Cardinals in 2025. Instead, it merely guarantees Murray won’t have a chance to produce an on-field counterargument to the claim his time in Arizona is dwindling.
When asked if Gannon expected Murray to be the Cardinals’ starting quarterback in 2026, Gannon deflected.
“I’m worried about the Rams right now, honestly,” he said, speaking of Arizona’s upcoming opponent in a game that previously represented Murray’s first opportunity to return from IR.
There’s plenty of reason to believe the Cardinals might move on from Murray in the spring. Arizona can’t quite financially justify outright releasing Murray in 2026 because it would result in a $57.7 million dead cap hit that can be split between 2026 and 2027, a significant sum for a team that would also be in the market for a replacement at the position. If the Cardinals can find a trade partner, however, they’d carry just $17.9 million in dead cap, saving $35.3 million and making a divorce much more palatable.
In order to orchestrate a trade, the Cardinals would have to earn his approval while also negotiating a competitive deal that would convince another team to agree to a trade. For now, such an effort isn’t the top priority, but it won’t be long before a new Super Bowl champion is crowned and the Cardinals will need to get to work.
One thing is certain, though: Murray has played his last down in 2025. We’ll see if his next is in a new uniform.
