Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is expected to be traded this offseason, and one NFL analyst believes he might fetch only a Day 3 draft pick.
Before any deal is finalized, Murray’s contract will come into play and determine what compensation the Cardinals will receive. According to Over The Cap, Murray is slated to count $52.6 million toward the salary cap, and his 2027 base salary of $19.5 million is guaranteed if he is on a roster March 15.
Given these factors, ESPN’s Ben Solak believes if the Cardinals do not offset some of Murray’s contract, they could receive a pick in the later rounds.
“If Murray’s contract is traded in its current form, I think the return would be almost nominal — a Day 3 pick,” Solak said. “For acquiring teams with plenty of cap space and a long-term rebuild ahead (think teams such as the Jets), keeping the draft capital and spending the money on Murray might be preferable.”
“But would the Cardinals endure the optics of getting just a fourth-round pick for Murray to save the money?” Solak continued. “I’d wager they’re more likely to take on some dead cap in order to improve the draft compensation they get in return, which would put other teams in play.”
A trade would end a disappointing stint for Murray with the Cardinals, the team that selected him with the first overall selection in 2019. In his seven seasons as the starter, the Cardinals only appeared in the playoffs once.
Last season, Murray appeared in five games, completing 68.3% of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. Murray, who has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice in his career, injured his foot in Week 5 and eventually lost his job to backup Jacoby Brissett. Brissett made the Cardinals’ offense look a lot better despite the team not winning games.
The teams most likely to trade for Murray are the Jets and the Minnesota Vikings. The Jets are looking to start over at the position after Justin Fields failed to gain traction as the starter. Meanwhile, the Vikings’ offense sputtered with J.J. McCarthy taking the helm after Sam Darnold left for the Seattle Seahawks.