When a former teammate publicly cautions an entire franchise against your quarterback, things change fast. This week, Kyler Murray experienced this reality after a former Cardinals player anonymously cautioned the New York Jets away from the Cardinals’ $230.5 million quarterback. To make matters more urgent for Murray, the Cardinals are also working hard to meet a mid-March deadline to finalize $19.5 million in new guarantees for the quarterback. This situation is affecting Kyler Murray from two different angles at the same time. Let’s break this down further.
“No, No, No” A Teammate Breaks Ranks
A former Arizona Cardinals player delivered an unusually blunt message about Kyler Murray sometime last week. Speaking anonymously on ESPN’s Flight Deck podcast, the ex-teammate told reporter Rich Cimini, “No, no, no, the Jets don’t want to do that. You don’t want Kyler Murray as your quarterback,” according to Heavy.com on February 4. NFL teammates almost never undermine a former quarterback’s trade value, even anonymously. This situation might be affecting Kyler Murray’s reputation and status inside the Cardinals’ locker room; however, this situation did not occur out of nowhere.
What Pushed Murray to This Point
Murray, 28, was the No. 1 overall pick in 2019 and signed a 5-year, $230.5 million extension with Arizona in July 2022. Yet his career record stands at 38-48-1 as a starter, with only 1 winning season and a lopsided loss in his lone playoff appearance. He has appeared in just 87 of 117 possible regular season games across 7 NFL seasons, missing 21 games in the last 3 years alone due to injury. There were whispers of discontent with Murray’s play well before the media publicly railed against him.
A $52.7 Million Cap Reality
Murray’s 2026 salary cap hit is $52.7 million, the 9th highest figure among NFL quarterbacks. Despite that ranking, “nobody would consider him anywhere near the top 10” at the position, according to Over The Cap on December 31. Of that total, $36.8 million is already fully guaranteed, locking Arizona into a costly commitment. If the Cardinals keep Murray through next season and then move on, they face roughly $62 million in cash owed and $80 million in cap charges. However, the financial pressure is about to intensify even faster.
A Mid March Deadline Looms Large
A critical contract trigger is just weeks away for Arizona’s front office. If Murray remains on the roster past the 5th day of the new league year around March 16, his 2027 base salary of $19.5 million becomes fully guaranteed. “There is a deadline because if he’s on the roster on the fifth day of the league year this March, $19.5 million in 2027 becomes fully guaranteed,” Ian Rapoport reported on NFL GameDay Morning on February 4. That alone may promote some impatience, which can lead to to some decisions that can no longer be put off.
“The Most Likely Scenario” Takes Shape
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero offered a clear signal about how Arizona may proceed. “The most likely scenario for the Cardinals is to release Kyler Murray after the start of the new league year,” Pelissero reported on February 4. A pre-June 1 release would create $54.7 million in dead money, while a trade would reduce the hit to $17.9 million. Even with the trade as an option on the table, as December of last year saw those in the know talking to The Athletic, no one seemed to think the Cards would truly get anything in return for Murray. So, why do the Cardinals seem so trapped?
GM Says All Options Are Open
Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort was candid when speaking about Kyler Murray’s future with the team as the last season drew to a close. “When you have a season like this, I think all options are on the table. Things didn’t work out. Kyler was injured this year, Jacoby stepped in and played well, and we’ll see what that leads to,” Ossenfort said on January 6. Murray made just 5 starts in 2025, totaling 962 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions before a foot injury ended his season early. Meanwhile, the backup thrived and shifted expectations internally.
New Coach Avoids Commitment
New head coach Mike LaFleur did little to quiet speculation when asked about Murray’s future. “I’m not going to answer that question today because we gotta go have all of those conversations,” LaFleur said on The Burns & Gambo Show on February 4, emphasizing roster evaluation behind closed doors. LaFleur replaced Jonathan Gannon after a 3-14 season and now inherits the No. 3 overall pick and roughly $42.2 million in cap space. Those resources give him flexibility, making every quarterback decision feel temporary for now.
Cimini Sharpens the Criticism
Rich Cimini did not stop at relaying the anonymous warning. “Kyler Murray has attracted a lot of speculation with regard to the Jets. He has not been a durable player. He has not been a good player, quite frankly. There has always been talk about how he doesn’t love football,” Cimini said on his podcast on February 4. He pointed to the culture-first mindset of new Jets coach Aaron Glenn as a poor pairing with Murray. As criticisms tumbled in from numerous different angles, the discussion around Murray shifted from his abilities to whether he was someone to be trusted.
Is a Jets Reunion Still Possible
Not everyone around the league has closed the door. NFL insider Benjamin Allbright suggested in mid-January that Murray could still be an option. “I’ve been whispering that Kyler Murray might be in play there as a bridge quarterback for the better part of a couple months. We’ll see,” Allbright said. If released, Murray would collect $36.8 million from Arizona while signing cheaply elsewhere, similar to Russell Wilson’s exit from Denver. For a Jets franchise starved for stability, that bargain may tempt decision makers despite the noise.
Two Timelines Collide for Murray
Murray’s future now sits at the intersection of money and reputation. Arizona faces a $52.7 million cap hit, a $19.5 million guarantee deadline in mid-March, and the fallout from a 3-14 season that reset expectations. At the same time, a former teammate’s warning has echoed across the league, reinforcing years of durability and commitment questions. Whether Murray lands with the Jets, another team, or nowhere at all, the next 5 weeks will determine if $230.5 million bought a franchise cornerstone or an unforgettable cautionary tale.
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Sources:
Former Kyler Murray Teammate Warns Jets About Adding Him. Heavy.com, February 4, 2026.
Cardinals likely to move on from QB Kyler Murray this offseason. NFL.com, February 8, 2026.
The Cardinals and Kyler Murray. Over The Cap, December 31, 2025.
Cardinals’ Timeline on Kyler Murray Revealed Before $19.5M Contract Guarantees. Bleacher Report, January 6, 2026.
NFL Executives Question Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s Trade Value. SI.com, December 18, 2025.
Jets get concerning message from teammate of potential quarterback target. The Jet Press, February 5, 2026.
