GLENDALE – The recent success of Arizona Cardinals backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett has many analysts and fans ready to throw out seven years worth of investment in starter Kyler Murray. The franchise sits at 2-5 and paying a quarterback over $40 million, who is currently being outplayed by a backup making around seven million.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The numbers don’t line within the contract or on the field, all signs point for Arizona to trade Murray and get off his massive contract. However, the thought isn’t as easy as it seems.
Oct 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up before their game against the Tennessee Titans at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
The problem with Murray’s contract:
If the 28-year-old were to be cut or traded this season, there would be heaps of dead cap on the books. The Cardinals would have $65 million of dead cap to release Murray or $24 million to trade him. In 2026, the release number falls to $50 million, while the trade dead cap would increase to 27 million. It wouldn’t be until June 1st, 2027, that Arizona could cut or trade Murray for only $7 million in dead cap.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) throws the ball against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, on Sept. 25, 2025. © Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The franchise would be hindering its cap flexibility to offload Murray’s contract anytime before 2027. The Cardinals currently have $14 million in cap space, which jumps to $44 million next year. Arizona would be in the negatives if it chose to move on from Murray, putting a 2-5 team in an impossible position to improve the roster.
The New Orleans Saints are a prime example of what dead cap can do to a roster. New Orleans went from an around .500 team from 2021 to 2023 to being near the bottom for the past two seasons. The reason is the team has had a combined $150 million in dead cap for the last two years, hindering the front office from improving the roster.
Sep 7, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) looks for a receiver during the first quarter at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
To avoid being put in cap purgatory, Arizona will keep its franchise quarterback for a minimum of another season. The summer of 2027 will be the true turning point for the Cardinals on whether they want to keep Murray or look for a replacement.
What position should Cardinals target at 2025 NFL trade deadline?
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
