What Kyler Murray's Release by the Cardinals Means for the 49ers

No longer will the 49ers have to deal with Kyler Murray when they take on the Cardinals.

Sep 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) is pressured by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Mykel Williams (98) during the second half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The most obvious transaction of the offseason was announced on Tuesday.

Kyler Murray will no longer be a part of the Arizona Cardinals. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Cardinals will release Murray on the first day of the league year on March 11.

The writing was on the wall from the moment Murray was placed on the Injured Reserve list last season. That is why the San Francisco 49ers didn't face him in their second matchup with the Cardinals.

What Murray's release means for the 49ers

Sep 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) throws downfield against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Murray being gone from the Cardinals and out of the division is excellent news for the 49ers. He's given San Francisco plenty of fits ever since he was drafted in 2019.

The Cardinals were never some juggernaut with Murray aside for one season. Defeating them shouldn't have been as difficult as it was for the 49ers.

In nine games, Murray helped the Cardinals defeat the 49ers four times. He tallied 1,914 passing yards, 13 touchdown passes, five interceptions, 459 rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns across those games.

Murray was lethal against the 49ers. His scrambling ability gave the 49ers issues every season. Whether he would tuck it and run or simply escape the pocket to deliver a throw, he was a menace.

It didn't matter how sweet the 49ers' pass rush was. Not even the stats show how much of a nuisance Murray was to defend against. Now that he will be released from the Cardinals, the 49ers can rejoice.

Matching up with the Cardinals will not be as difficult. Just look at how the 49ers fared against the Cardinals in their second game last year when Murray was out.

They handled them fairly easily. That is what it's going to look like from now on, especially since the Cardinals will struggle to find a quarterback as good or nearly as good as Murray in 2026.

He may not have been an elite player, but his physical skills always presented a problem for the 49ers. Unless the Cardinals find another scrambling quarterback, they don't have to account for that anymore.

There's no reason the 49ers shouldn't sweep the Cardinals next season. Murray has always been the reason the 49ers couldn't accomplish that.

He will be on a new team next year, and the Cardinals have a rookie head coach in Mike LaFleur, former 49ers offensive coordinator. Two wins against Arizona should be easily attainable for them.

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