As the 2026 NFL League Year approaches (March 11), Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray would prefer to be released so he can enter free agency. FOX Sports’ Henry McKenna reported the news Wednesday night.

Per McKenna, Murray’s camp feels like the two-time Pro Bowl selection would be the top quarterback free agent on the market. Quarterback Malik Willis, who spent the last two seasons as Jordan Love‘s backup in Green Bay, is currently the consensus best free agent quarterback available.

Murray played just five games in 2025, passing for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. The former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback has failed to play in 10 games in two of his past three seasons, and Arizona has failed to make the postseason in four straight campaigns. Across his seven-year stint in Arizona, Murray recorded 20,460 passing yards (third most in team history) and 121 passing touchdowns (third most in team history).

“He’s got plenty of talent. There was a year in which it was past the halfway point and we were talking about Kyler Murray as the MVP frontrunner,” ESPN’s Field Yates said during the Feb. 12 edition of ‘NFL Live‘. “Let’s be clear though… this feels like one where a change of scenery would be best for all parties involved. Kyler would be happier with an opportunity to restart his career somewhere. As for Arizona, you could clean the books up a little bit and get this offense built back up.

Arizona Cardinals selected Kyler Murray No. 1 overall in 2019 Draft

“There’s part of me that wants to say this offense has some sleeping giants,” Yates said. “They’ve got some serious investments. They’ve got maybe the best tight end in the NFL in Trey McBride. They have a guy they took fourth overall, that some called a generational prospect, in Marvin Harrison Jr. And then Michael Wilson, last year, played like the player Marvin Harrison Jr. was supposed to be when he was on the sidelines. They’ve got to clean up their offensive line in a major way, but there’s just so much uncertainty around that quarterback spot.”

As Murray dealt with his season-long foot injury this past season, veteran Jacoby Brissett served as Arizona’s quarterback. The Cardinals finished with a 3-14 record, marking their first season in franchise history with 14 losses. As Yates touched on, Arizona boasts some solid offensive pieces in wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and First Team All-Pro tight end Trey McBride.

Bringing in a new quarterback, whether it be a veteran or a younger player, to reset things a bit in Arizona seems to be the direction they are heading in. Kyler Murray, meanwhile, will likely attempt to rehabilitate his image elsewhere. Fellow highly-drafted quarterbacks, such as Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, have completed this arc themselves in the past few seasons.