Is Kyler Murray DONE at the Arizona Cardinals? 👀 ‘He’s played his LAST SNAP!’ – Dan O | First Take

Is Kyler Murray DONE at the Arizona Cardinals? 👀 ‘He’s played his LAST SNAP!’ – Dan O | First Take

Kyler Murray on the IR as he continues to recover from that foot injury that he suffered back in week five. Jonathan Ganon said that the injury injury isn’t season ending and Murray should be able to return once he’s healed. However, will there be a place for him is the question as Arizona’s offense has shown improvement, a lot of it with Jacobe Brassette under center. So, once Kyler Murray is healed, now we’re all like, is he gonna play for the Cardinals or is he gonna go elsewhere? What is next for Kyler Murray? can imagine this news of all the compliments Jacobe Brassett is getting can’t be the best for Kyler Murray. Yeah, I think Kyler Murray’s done playing for the Cardinals. I believe that Jacobe Brassett has played better than Kyler Murray has this year. This offense has played better under Jacobe than Kyler. And Marvin Harrison looks like the guy that was the top five pick with Jacobe rather than with Kyler. That here’s the thing. Um Kyler’s an unbelievably physic physically talented human being. There will be a home for Kyler Murray. I don’t know where that home will be. I just don’t believe it’s going to be in Arizona. I think Arizona’s got this very interesting situation right now where they’re three and five. They’re really a boneheaded play from being four and four and a little bit more in the playoff race. And under their general manager, Monte Austin for and Jonathan Ganon, they’ve done a good job. There’s encouraging stuff happening in Arizona. And so if you’re those two people that aren’t attached to Kyler’s past, it seems like you’re trending in a direction that’s different than Kyler. I would say this, there’s right now November 6th or something like that. There’s realistically four teams that we know no-brainer will need new quarterbacks next year and probably another four that will likely. The Jets, the Raiders, the Browns, and the Saints already are going to sit here and say, “We got to find a starting quarterback.” And then there’s teams like Miami. There’s going to have question marks. Pittsburgh’s there, there could be a question mark. The Atlanta Falcons and the Jacksonville Jaguars. I think there’s a little bit of like unknown at that position for the not the remainder of this season, but 2026. Kyler’s going to have a home because he’s just crazy talented. I just don’t think it’s in Arizona. Well, his time and you know, and you went first and said it like he’s done in Arizona. Like this isn’t about whether or not your foot heals. This is about whether or not you want to stand on the side. Do you think he’s done as a starter in the league? Absolutely not. Kyler Murray is going to play somewhere else next year. And when you are that talented when you are a guy who could do the multitude of things that Kyler Murray could do to create plays when plays aren’t there, there’s going to be a spot for you. And you know this, like I know this, Dan, when you’re drafted number one overall, you have to exceedingly prove you’re not good at football before anybody will truly believe it outside of the building you’re in. It’s why Baker Mayfield still in this league even though Sam Darnold is a third overall pick. It’s why he’s still in this league. It’s why M. Jones has gotten other opportunities. And so Kyler Murray will have that. What will Kyler Murray change? And I’m not inside that building, right? But when you hear the things that are glowingly said about Jacobe Brassette, you always think to yourself, what is that in comparison to Kyler? Why are they pointing to these things in particular? The leadership, the communication, the feeling around the building, the ability to run the offense efficiently. These are things you expect a starting quarterback to do. These are things you expect a franchise guy to do. So, if Jacobe Brassette is changing the mood of this team by doing these simple things, Dan, that we expect every quarterback to be able to do. What is that saying about the quarterback he’s replacing? And I think that’s the bigger conversation, how Kyler removes some of those question marks going forward over the play on the field. You’re on point, RC, because here’s the deal. Jacobe Brass, for all intented purposes, has been a journeyman quarterback. We know that he’s good. Uh we know that he’s had moments where he’s produced or whatever, but he’s been he’s been at a lot of different places. To be in Arizona and to see your teammates happy to have you, you can’t help if you’re you’re the supposed face of a franchise who happens to play that position that you’re being replaced by because you’re injured and the person that’s there is so welcomed by everybody else. You can’t help but feel like what does that say about you and how people feel about you? We also have to take into consideration that the guy was drafted in 2019. Ganon and these guys have arrived after 2023, right? And so as a result, they feel no loyalty, no connection to Kyler Murray himself, especially since he hasn’t had a really allp pro year since 2021. And so the die has been cast for all intended purposes. Do I think that Kyler Murray is a start in this league elsewhere? Absolutely. for all of those teams that you mentioned, Cleveland and Vegas, um the New York Jets, obviously the New Orleans Saints. Of course, I’d add a few more teams to that mix. Now, if I’m the New Orleans Saints, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m going to commit a crime. What I’m going to do is I’m going to find out where Kyler Murray is. I’m going to have him kidnapped. I’m going to make sure that I I get him in a place where he signs on the dotted line so he can come and save me as a quarterback as a franchise because Spencer Rattler ain’t gonna do the ain’t going to do the trick for you. You got to do something. You I got to do anything that I can to get a quarterback. I don’t give a damn what I don’t give a damn what I got to do. Whatever. Whatever the point is, you got to do something. Okay? Anything. Anything. I mean, my lord. And you can’t tell me that Kell Moore isn’t sitting there asking, “What the hell was I thinking about taking this job?” Because New Orleans is bad. And New Orleans is bad because they don’t have a quarterback. We all know what time it is. They are in desperate need of it. Other teams are too, but not like them. Not like them. I mean, that they got to do something. So, Kyler Murray is definitely going to be a starting quarterback somewhere else, but it can’t be Arizona because Arizona has basically let him know, you know, they don’t mind the thought of you leaving. They really don’t. Dan, how much for a quarterback, right? Like so much was about that Cliff Kingsbury connection with Kyler Murray. And when you listen to Jonathan Ganon talk, especially this season, no BS with him, right, right now, right? He he’s about team. He’s about accountability. How much of them being willing to depart from Kyler has to do with who the head coach and GM are now? Oh, I think it’s a huge deal. I think it’s a huge reason why. I I mean Jonathan Ginon when you talk with him to your point Darcy you just walk away saying you want a nononsense quarterback no nonsense um all ball don’t have a lot of celebrity to you don’t have a lot of things going off the field um and and just kind of like the obsession with football and I don’t know if Kyler is that or not but I know Jonathan Ganon wants that out of his guy and so I think there’s that reality also it just feels like it’s run its course this is a defensive minded head coach that probably wants to play to that style, play to that defensive style. And the one of the reasons why I think the offenses performed better under Jacobe than Kyler cuz I thought Kyler had really good moments last year is because in my opinion Kyler’s so talented, he wants it to be about Kyler. There’s always the I can go make a play cuz I’m one of the best players on the field, one of the best athletes on the field. Jacob’s like, I’m not. I’ll just go run the offense. I’ll make good decisions. I’ll distribute the ball to McBride and Marvin and Michael Wilson. We’ll play good defense. I don’t need you to talk about me at all. Yeah, Kyler Kyler wants to be the person. And I I can appreciate that. I also think this because to the point of what’s next for Kyler Murray right now, the number one free agent quarterback heading into the 2026 year is probably Aaron Rogers. Yes. To my to my knowledge with where contracts sit with right guys right now. Right. Free. Yes. If Aaron’s going to play, it’s going to be in Pittsburgh. No questions asked. So, there’s just not a lot of quarterback bodies available for next year. The college quarterback class is so up and down, and a bunch of those kids, the more you hear, are going back cuz the money for them is just outrageous. And so, you’re looking at Tai Simpson or Fernando Mendoza as like the two names that you feel somewhat comfortable with. And so, Kyler is going to be highly soughta after the only other name that you could throw into the equation might be M. Jones, but he’s under contract and he’s made himself so much money if he’s not the guy in the future in San Francisco. And so I just think Kyler still will have so many options. The only thing I’d say this is that uh the last thing I’d say is this. He has to play indoors. I think I do believe that Kyler’s got or in Miami type of environment where weather isn’t really an impact. Oh, that’s becoming easier and easier. Go ahead. You want to add? No, no. that I just think what Dan’s saying is is real, but it’s it’s the understanding that for Jacobe Brassette, it’s about how you match with the offensive coordinator. Yeah. That’s the same thing for Kyler Murray. Correct. How does he match with the next play caller? How do they vibe also from a personality standpoint? We all remember the the timeout, Kyler Murray’s walking off of the field and he’s having the back and forth with Cliff Kingsbury. That was when we sort of said, “Okay, what’s going on within that building?” in the contract talks, it was you gotta watch us. So, whatever those things was, those addendums and red lines in his contract. And so, you’re starting to hear more of those things. And so, you know, if the play on the field isn’t excellent, right? If it isn’t top tier, then there aren’t some of those intangibles that we normally associate with quarterbacks inside those locker rooms that keeps him there. And so, I think not only is it about where he plays, it’s about who he plays with and who embraces that. when I’ve gotten to talk to him, I’ve enjoyed our time, but that’s not working each and every day. Yeah. And Jacobe Brassett’s making the first round better. Go ahead. Go ahead, Stephen. Yeah, it’s it’s it’s it’s not it’s not you know, you know how you ingratiate yourself with other people. You’re going to watch him closely because of the kind of reputation, fear or unfair that he’s he’s accumulated and he’s built since he’s arrived in Arizona. You can’t have all of the comforts like the Cliff Kingsbury of the world being the quarterback guru that obviously embraces you and brings you on board and y’all camaraderie with one another is what helps you ascend. That’s not going to be those most people ain’t going to get those kind of ideal circumstances. That’s one thing to say. The other thing that I would like to say is that I want to thank Dan Olowski uh for for helping his marketability. Just telling the world, you know, he’s got to play in a warm weather climate or indoors. I mean, that does that does wonders for his marketability, Dan. I mean, it’s very touching. It’s very touching that you that you’re looking out for him in that way. You know, I mean, a a dome a dome or warm weather. That’s what you want Kyler Murray in. That’s what you said. That’s what you said. Okay. Let me ask you this. Hey, uh Stephen Au was a free agent. What would you say about him? Well, listen. I would say the same thing, but those concussions have a lot to do with it. The question ain’t got nothing to do with the whole you always I consider I consider I consider to were fragile to the point if you remember I said the only reason he shouldn’t retire because you got to get the money he’s taking the risk but we all know that he needed to play for the money but that was about it because after the injuries he sustained we all contemplated whether or not he should ever play football again so I don’t view him and Kyler Murray the same well the point I think the point D is making though the the for his style of play Right. That’s He needs to be in a place where the weather is warm or you’re indoors. So the conditions are ideal. Stephen A. It’s not about whether or not he’s going to I did not say Dan was wrong. I just said he told on them. So that wipes away 75% of the league. I didn’t say Dan was wrong. This is the part where y’all are not listening. I know he’s right. I’m just saying damn to say it. You just wiped away 75% of the damn league. That’s all I was saying. I do feel like it’s getting easier and easier to play indoors though. Bears are now moving into a dome situation the coming years. You got Lambo, you got Buffalo. Where? Yeah, they are. They’re moving. That’s right, Shay. Mention the Bears. Mention. Get the Bears in there. Get them in there. That’s right. So, I just had, you know, really take some big names moved prior to the deadline, including the Jets dealing two allpro defenders on Tuesday. The Jaguars and Seahawks each added a wide receiver as well. And then the Eagles added a trio of defensive players, most notable edge rusher Jaylen Phillips from Miami. And so, now we have had time to reflect, let it marinate a little bit. RC, which team do you think was the biggest loser after the trade deadline? Biggest loser. I think I had an answer here. I can’t remember it. Someone in your ear should tell you. I know. Somebody should tell me who I pick. Ah, that’s who I picked. I couldn’t remember. You told me our season. I couldn’t remember it. Yeah, I’m not really hot on it though. But I think I think the Bills to me because of this reason. And here’s why I say this. The Bills and I first off, Bills Mafia, I’m sorry. I was wrong. I said to myself that the way that this team was playing around Josh Allen, even Josh Allen in his greatness, one of the top three players in the world couldn’t lift them. I lied. So unlike Dan, I was not right. When you see what they were able to do with Milano back, right, with Maxwell Haristen now playing and now healthy at the corner position, the way that Cole Bishop elevated his game and Joe Brady, especially in the last two games, beginning to lean on James Cook the way he did when he initially took over as OC and the way that Josh was able to distribute even without those skilled players being out there, they should have made a move. whether that move was to go out and get another skilled player on the outside that could stretch the field, that could push the field, or this is my opinion, also an interior defensive lineman. Right? When you think about the the Buffalo Bills and you tell me how are they or what’s going to keep them from winning a Super Bowl, it’s going to be you don’t have a skilled player outside that can win one-on-one or you can’t stop the run. So to me, making a move to shore up one or both of those spots was the move to me that would have elevated them to my clear favorite in the AFC. Yeah, I love Buffalo. Can I just take 20 seconds? The Milano Milano, just this has nothing to do with deadline. Um, there was a play where they blitzed the safety. They sent Xavier Worthy in motion. Milano played the deep third of the field as a quarterback on Xavier Worthy. That’s the dumbest thing in the world. So I just let me nerd out for 10 seconds. Um, my my team that’s the biggest loser, I’d say the Miami Dolphins. You’re going nowhere right now. This team is devoid of talent. We’ve already fired the general manager. You had multiple people that teams wanted in their on their roster. Jaylen Wadd, I would have moved Waddle, really good player. I would have moved Wadd for more picks. Bradley Chub, really good player. I would have moved Bradley Chub for the future. Ma Fitzpatrick, I would have moved Minka Fitzpatrick for the future. This team is not 2026 away. This team is so behind when it comes to the top six or seven teams of NFL talent on their roster. They are a team that absolutely unequivocally needs picks and younger talent. I think the Miami Dolphins only moving Jaylen Phillips is the Miami Dolphins been more like the Jets in your opinion. I would ask because the Jets the Jets moved off from two very young, talented, proven players because they understood the roster wasn’t good enough. Yeah, I I I I understand the Jets got a lot. Go ahead, Stephen. I I disagree with you about Miami because they’re so god awful. Everything needs to be purged and you need an entire off season to do that. Yeah, you can unload players or whatever, but you really I mean they they they could they could unload 80% of their roster. Uh because it’s an organizational issue with them. The owner needs to fire himself. I mean, the owner needs to be gone. You already got rid of the GM. The coach needs to be gone. Everybody need to be gone. Okay? Maybe not the cheerleaders, but that’s about it. Okay? Everybody else need to be gone. So, let’s get that out the way. Okay? So, now we get to now we get to what my answer would be, and it would be I know you’re not looking at me RC like that considering how many I mean, how relationships are are an analogy you always bring up with the nervous cheerleaders. But anyway, I would say I would say to you I would say to you the Buffalo Bills are the answer to this question because of the two things that RC mentioned. You got to be able to stop the run. Uh obviously if you’re going to win in the playoffs and definitely you need some assistance if you are Josh Allen, another pass catcher. uh would have been nice to see Buffalo to purview the landscape that is the AFC and to see Kansas City still relevant to see the Chargers relevant to see the Broncos ahead of the AFC West to see Indianapolis and what they’ve been doing to know that Baltimore you can’t rule out the possibility that they could resurrect themselves over this second half of the season to see New England right within your own division who has already beaten you being relevant and present and above you in the standings to not do anything I I think that Buffalo definitely dropped the ball in that regard. That would be my answer to this question. Brandon Bean said he ain’t playing 2K or Madden. Yeah. Yeah. He like this ain’t no video game life. Hey man, they have looked so far this year. Nonetheless, the question is who is facing more pressure to win the AFC North this season? Is it Aaron Rogers or Lamar Jackson? Mina, go ahead. It’s Lamar for bigger reasons, which is Lamar Jackson every season the pressure is on for him to win the division, go to the Super Bowl because of the caliber of play. But I would say also stylistically this uh Steelers offense with Aaron Rodgers, quick passes, get your skilled players to do what get yards after the catch, running the football. It’s not as dependent on the quarterback being special. The Ravens offense on the other hand uh it lives and dies by Lamar quite frankly and him coming back will be a catalyst for them but he has to come back and continue to play at a super high level. He knows that the pressure is greater. Okay, what do you guys think? Go ahead, RC. You good or you want me to go? I This is no brainer for me. Aaron Rogers. Dan, this was the easiest layup of the whole show. It’s Aaron Rogers. Everybody should be on the same thing. How many divisions in football have two teams that literally do not matter? They th this is the easiest division to win in the NFL. You’ve got Cleveland who’s in absolute turmoil. Cincinnati’s been a a a mess. And the reality is Baltimore is having their worst start to the season in years. This is an easy division to win. If you had told Aaron and the Steelers and ex-Steeler greats that by November 1st, you’re going to have a two-game lead on the division. Lamar Jackson would have missed multiple games. Your quarterback is playing fantastic. You’d be like, “No doubt.” Would Let me ask you this. If I had asked you two or three weeks ago, cuz the last two losses haven’t been great two weeks ago, would it be unbelievably disappointing if the Steelers don’t win the division? Would you have said yes? Yes. So, what are we even talking about? But that don’t We’re talking about the player. We’re not talking about the team. We’re talking about the quarterback. Yeah. The quarterback with the It’s Lamar Jackson and it’s not even close. Not because the way the season started. It It’s It’s Lamar Jackson until Lamar Jackson died. Yeah. Until Lamar Jackson stopped playing football. Every year it’s Lamar Jackson. Stephen A. We was talking about another quarterback and Stephen A brought up Lamar Jackson in the playoffs. He He brought up You know why? Because the dude is so so good and he has to have wins. But if this was August, I’m with you. Going into August, yes. But we got to live in the the now like where we are. They don’t even ask that of Aaron Rogers. Aaron Ro. And by the way, Aaron Rogers has played really good this year. There are none of the negatives that are about the Pittsburgh Steelers are about Aaron Rogers. But if Aaron Rogers walks into a stadium and doesn’t play great, they could find a way to win because of the way they play. If the Baltimore Ravens are going to win this division and be anything like what we expected them to be at the beginning of the season, it’s on number eight. I totally disagree with that. It’s on number eight. It’s It’s I would tell you Kyle Hamilton’s more important. Oh, come on. That’s okay. Stephen A, go ahead. Get in here. I’mma sound like Dave Chappelle imitating Prince. This bores me. The fact is is that the answer to this question is easily Lamar Jackson. It’s simply because of the kind of season they’re having. No wild card is coming out of the AFC North. You want to make the playoffs, you got to win the division. And the fact is is that Lamar Jackson missing the playoffs would not be a good thing. you know, the window of opportunities at some point in time, as electrifying as he is, as sensational as he is, having played only five games this year, having 14 touchdowns, just one interceptions, complete 73% of his passes, we know who he is and what he means, not just to the Baltimore Ravens, but the football period and the playoffs without Lamar Jackson as a participant, you know, to start things off, I mean, almost seems sacrilegious. Of course, the answer to this question is Lamar Jackson. Aaron Rogers is actually playing with house money because he’s played decent pretty damn good football. And that’s just it’s just a beautiful thing considering what the Steelers have been subjected to from its quarterback position all of these years. Since two years, the last two years of Ben Rothllessberger’s existence to everybody they’ve had behind center since that time. I mean, he’s a godsend. Aaron Rogers, he’s a godsend right there. Lamar Jackson is the guy that has to prove something. What an outrageous thing to say. We got to go. Uh but you said another division where two teams don’t matter the age.

Stephen A. Smith, Dan Orlovsky, Ryan Clark and Mina Kimes join Shae Cornette on First Take to discuss all the biggest storylines around the NFL after the trade deadline ahead of Week 10.

0:00 Is Kyler Murray done playing for the Arizona Cardinals?
4:01 Stephen A. on what’s next for Murray
9:59 Murray’s reputation
12:14 Notable players traded
12:50 Did the Buffalo Bills lose the trade deadline?
14:20 Did the Miami Dolphins lose the trade deadline?
16:08 Stephen A. agrees with RC
17:22 More pressure on Lamar Jackson or Aaron Rodgers?
20:03 Stephen A. easily picks Jackson

✔️ Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/youtube
✔️ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn
✔️ Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoYOUTUBE
✔️ Subscribe to NBA on ESPN on YouTube: http://bit.ly/SUBSCRIBEtoNBAonESPN
✔️ Watch ESPN on YouTube TV: http://es.pn/YouTubeTV

#ESPN