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Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport proposed the Pittsburgh Steelers acquire quarterback Kyler Murray from the Arizona Cardinals.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been making a habit out of adding veteran quarterbacks for pennies on the dollar. They did that with Russell Wilson, who had $37.8 million of his $39 million salary in 2024 paid by the Denver Broncos. Then last season, Aaron Rodgers played in Pittsburgh for $13.65 million. Could Kyler Murray be next?
Murray has two years remaining on his 5-year, $230.5 million contract. He also has a club option for the 2028 season.
Depending on the trade terms, Murray might not come as cheaply as Wilson and Rodgers did. But draft compensation-wise, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport sees Murray being very affordable for the Steelers.
On Monday, Davenport proposed the Steelers acquire Murray and a 2027 fifth-round pick for two Day 3 selections. One of those Steelers choices will be in the 2027 draft.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers have made it abundantly clear that the team has no ambition to rebuild under new head coach Mike McCarthy. If Aaron Rodgers decides to hang them up, the Steelers will be left with Mason Rudolph and Will Howard under center,” wrote Davenport.
“It’s hard to argue against Murray being an upgrade over both of those players, and the Steelers haven’t been shy about taking stabs at veteran reclamation projects at the position in recent years.”
Last season, Murray played just five games because of a foot injury. He’s battled injuries in three of the past four seasons. Murray also hasn’t posted a winning record since 2021.
But in his last full season as a starter, Murray was his electric playmaking self. In 2024, he completed 68.8% of his passes for 3,851 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also had 572 rushing yards with five scores on the ground.
Could the Steelers Pursue Kyler Murray?
There’s been a lot of trade rumors swirling around Murray this offseason. Should other teams be interested in acquiring the Cardinals signal-caller, he might not actually be a reclamation project.
But Davenport doesn’t see Murray’s trade value as very high because of his recent play and high salary. He’s set to have a $52.66 million cap hit in 2026.
The Steelers have the cap space to accept such a contract in a trade. They probably wouldn’t even have to accept most of it, though, because the Cardinals might be willing to eat salary to facilitate a trade.
That, though, could depend (once again) on Murray’s market.
Murray hasn’t won recently, but that’s been in Arizona. Wilson and Rodgers didn’t win with their previous teams either, but they each had 10-win seasons with the Steelers.
Why Murray Might Not Fit With Steelers
For the trade compensation Davenport suggested, it’s going to be pretty tempting for any team to roll the dice on Murray.
That might be the biggest argument against the Steelers as a fit. At such a cheap trade asking price, a lot of teams might be buyers — again, raising the price.
As far as schematics go, Murray might not be what new head coach Mike McCarthy is looking for at quarterback. McCarthy has generally worked with pocket passers in his coaching career.
Murray is more of an athlete and doesn’t match the playing style of Pittsburgh’s other current quarterbacks — Mason Rudolph and Will Howard.
If truly a reclamation projection because of the price, Murray could work in Pittsburgh. But his struggles, playing style and salary are potential hold-ups in a Cardinals-Steelers swap involving the quarterback.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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