Both the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins reportedly are interested in finding trade partners for their longtime starting quarterbacks this offseason.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cardinals are hoping to find a landing spot for Kyler Murray, and the Dolphins want to do the same with Tua Tagovailoa.
However, Schefter noted that trading either player comes with financial hurdles, as Murray is due $36.8 million guaranteed in 2026, while Tagovailoa is scheduled to make a guaranteed $54 million in 2026.
Releasing Murray and Tagovailoa would result in massive dead salary cap hits for both teams, which is why a trade would be most beneficial to them.
Per Schefter, releasing Murray before June 1 would saddle the Cardinals with a $54.7 million dead cap hit, the Dolphins doing the same with Tagovailoa would yield an NFL-record $99 million in dead money.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network explained why Murray would prefer a release over a trade:
While Murray and Tagovailoa could be designated as post-June 1 cuts, that would only serve to spread the dead money out over two years.
If Murray is on Arizona’s roster on March 15, $19.5 million of his 2027 base salary will become guaranteed, so the Cardinals will undoubtedly be motivated to move him before then.
An extra $3 million of Tagovailoa’s 2027 salary is set to become guaranteed on that same date. Schefter noted that the Dolphins are open to covering part of Tua’s contract in order to make a trade more desirable for opposing teams.
Murray, 28, went first overall to the Cardinals in the 2019 NFL draft, and he has gone on to make 87 starts over his seven seasons in Arizona.
The two-time Pro Bowler owns a record of 38-48-1 with only one playoff appearance, and he has completed 67.1 percent of his passes for 20,460 yards, 121 touchdowns and 60 interceptions, while also rushing for 3,193 yards and 32 scores.
Murray was limited to only five games in 2025, as the Cardinals shut him down due to a foot injury. Jacoby Brissett started 12 games in Murray’s absence.
Although Brissett went just 1-11, he threw for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, making him a viable option to start in 2026.
Tagovailoa, who turns 28 on March 2, was selected fifth overall by the Dolphins in the 2020 NFL draft.
In 78 career regular-season games, including 76 starts, Tua has gone 44-32, completing 68.0 percent of his passing attempts for 18,166 yards, 120 touchdowns and 59 picks.
His best season came in 2023 when he led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards and threw a career-high 29 touchdown passes en route to his first and only Pro Bowl selection.
Tagovailoa missed six games in 2024 due to a concussion and hip injury, though, and his play proceeded to drop off significantly in 2025.
In 14 starts, Tua went 6-8 with 2,660 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and a career-high 15 interceptions. He was subsequently benched for the final three games of the season in favor of rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers.
Miami finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs for a second straight year, resulting in the departure of general manager Chris Grier and firing of head coach Mike McDaniel.
The Cardinals also have a new regime of sorts with Mike LaFleur replacing Jonathan Gannon as head coach, so it comes as little surprise that both teams reportedly want a fresh start at quarterback.