Murray’s retreat to the sideline (and eventually, injured reserve) was ultimately tied to a foot injury, but the move initially had the outside appearance of a soft benching for the former No. 1 overall pick. Arizona’s offensive endeavors were laborious at best with Murray at the controls in 2025. His struggles to get on the same page with 2024 first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr. continued, and the Cardinals’ uptick in production with veteran Jacoby Brissett in the lineup signaled a change was needed.
Arizona doesn’t have a long-term replacement on the roster, but it sure seems like this pairing is headed toward a split.
So, why Miami? That’s where I return to Tua Tagovailoa, who appears destined to leave the Dolphins in 2026, especially if ownership decides to retain Mike McDaniel. After a 1-6 start to the season, McDaniel rebounded relatively well — that is, until his squad laid an egg on a national stage against the Steelers in Week 15, largely because of Tagovailoa’s failures. McDaniel’s response to that loss was to bench Tagovailoa in a manner that reminded me of Russell Wilson‘s final weeks in Denver in 2023, which preceded an unceremonious split in 2024.
There would be two paths toward ending Tagovailoa’s time with the Fins early: trade or release. The latter seems more likely, given that Tagovailoa would appear to carry almost no value as a trade chip and comes with a hefty contract that runs through 2028. The price of divorce will be expensive, though. The Dolphins have some options when it comes to spreading the money out, but they will carry a dead money hit of $67.4 million in 2026 if they release Tagovailoa after June 1, a number that only appears palatable after seeing the $99.2 million dead money hit they would incur if he’s released before June 1.
Whenever Miami moves on, it likely won’t happen until the team has acquired Tagovailoa’s replacement. Murray is due more than $42 million, with most of it fully guaranteed, in 2026, and another $19.5 million for 2027 becomes fully guaranteed if he’s still with Arizona on March 15, per NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero. So the Cardinals have an incentive to deal him before that date. They might find a very interested suitor in the Dolphins, a team that seems to have potential if it can find a competent quarterback to run McDaniel’s offense.
The idea of the elusive, squirrely Murray running McDaniel’s scheme is tantalizing for those who traffic in football fever dreams. So, too, is the thought of a unit headlined by Murray, ascending star De’Von Achane and receiver Jaylen Waddle, an explosive three-headed monster that could speed past defenses at any time. The big question that hangs over this potential pairing, however: Can Murray conform to McDaniel’s requirements in a timing-based passing attack, if McDaniel remains the head coach? Murray’s improvisational skills have produced plenty of electric moments over the years, but that’s not the style of play that suits Miami’s current system. He’d have to balance the two if he’s going to maximize such a partnership.
Still, it’s better than watching Tagovailoa appear to struggle making decisions for another season. And Murray might be just what the doctor ordered to get the McDaniel era back on track.