In The End, Kyler Murray Got What He Wanted From Cardinals

Kyler Murray will only (officially) be the Arizona Cardinals' quarterback for another week.

The Cardinals reportedly plan to release Murray when eligible to do so on the first league day of 2026, which is March 11.

The decision comes after months of speculation and drama around the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback and his future in Arizona after seven years spent in the desert.

The Cardinals tried mightily to trade him over the course of the last few weeks, though Murray ultimately got what he wanted.

Kyler Murray Wanted Release, Not Trade, From Cardinals

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

According to ESPN Cardinals reporter Josh Weinfuss, this is precisely how Murray wanted things to play out.

"Getting released was Kyler Murray's preferred outcome, a source had told me. He can control where he goes and the source told me Murray has two preferred destinations," said Weinfuss.

Murray's preferred destinations aren't exactly known at this time, though teams such as the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons are expected to gauge the quarterback market this offseason.

"I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77 year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best," Murray said in his statement.

Why Cardinals Couldn't Trade Kyler Murray

Murray's still in his prime and clearly has some juice left — why couldn't Arizona find a trade partner?

As it turns out, his contract was a massive roadblock for teams looking to acquire him.

"The Cardinals weren’t trading the player they were trading the contract and no team wanted it. Arizona exhausted all options to trade him there was no interest," reported Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro.

An acquiring team would have absorbed just north of $40 million for 2026 alone. Giving up draft capital for that simply wasn't in the cards — no pun intended.

Over the course of combine week it was heavily reported teams across the league were expecting a flat-out release of Murray, as the Cardinals simply wanted to take the next step without him with new head coach Mike LaFleur leading the way.

It wasn't as if Murray flat-out refused to go to whatever team could have traded for him. Ultimately, the Cardinals could have decided his destination if they were able to get a suitable package.

It doesn't sound like that was close to happening, and now with Murray having the power to choose his next venture, it looks like the former No. 1 overall pick got what he wanted in the end.