He was the first overall pick in the 2019 draft. And he’s destined to be looking for a new team.
So where will quarterback Kyler Murray’s career continue?
Barring a trade, which is unlikely unless the Cardinals pay a bunch of money and/or attach a draft pick to the sale of cap space, he’ll be cut. The Cardinals already owe Murray $36.8 million for 2026, with another $22.55 million hitting the books in the middle of March. The moment he was placed on injured reserve while recovering from a foot injury, the message was clear — Murray had played his last game for the Cardinals.
For plenty of coaches, there’s a minimum height requirement at the position, and Murray isn’t tall enough to ride the ride. Thus, as a threshold matter, a prospective employer has to be comfortable with Murray’s stature.
Last year, as the trade deadline approached and we poked around regarding the possibility of a trade, we heard that Murray was interested in joining the Raiders or the Vikings. The draw to Las Vegas, however, was offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. He’s now back at the college level.
Would the Vikings want Murray? They could possibly get him for the league minimum of $1.3 million, with the Cardinals paying the balance of his $36.8 million pay. (That’s what the Steelers did in 2024, when signing Russell Wilson and sticking the Broncos with most of his compensation.) The bigger question is whether coach Kevin O’Connell believes Murray would fit the Vikings’ offense.
Here’s another intriguing possibility, in our view: The Falcons. Coach Kevin Stefanski has no apparent qualms regarding shorter quarterbacks; Dillon Gabriel started multiple games for Stefanski and the Browns last year. And Atlanta has plenty of potent offensive weapons, from Bijan Robinson to Drake London to Kyle Pitts Sr.
The X factor in Atlanta will be president of football operations Matt Ryan, a former quarterback who measures six feet, five inches. Ryan may prefer a more traditional quarterback to hold down the fort while Michael Penix Jr. recovers from an ACL tear and the Falcons figure out whether he’s still the guy.
Still, the price could be just right on a one-year deal, for the Vikings, Falcons, or any other team currently looking for a new starter. And the Cardinals will likely be paying Murray a lot of money to play for another team in 2026.
It’s amazing the relationship lasted as long as it did. The Cardinals made it to the playoffs once in Murray’s seven seasons. And the ill-advised homework clause in his second contract drove a wedge that was never going to go away.
The cash and cap realities of that second deal made it hard to sever ties. Even now, it will leave a mark on Arizona’s books.
We’ll see whether Murray and his career record of 38-49-1 can make a mark in a new NFL city.
Teams making decisions about picking up the fifth-year options on the contracts of their 2023 first-round picks now know how much that will cost.
The NFL revealed the values on Friday afternoon. There are four levels of compensation at each position. Players who have made multiple Pro Bowls as an original selection are at the top followed by players with one Pro Bowl selection and players who have hit playing time milestones before reaching the lowest level.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud were the first two picks of that draft and both of them reached the playing time level of compensation. That will leave them with fully guaranteed salaries of $25.904 million if the teams decide to exercise the options, but longer-term extensions are also a possibility now that they have finished their third seasons.
The full list of 2023 first-rounders — there were 31 that year because the Dolphins were stripped of their pick — and their fifth-year option salaries appears below:
1. Panthers QB Bryce Young — $25.904 million (playing time).
2. Texans QB C.J. Stroud — $25.904 million (playing time).
3. Texans DE Will Anderson — $21.512 (Pro Bowl).
4. Colts QB Anthony Richardson — $22.483 million (base).
5. Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon — $21.161 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
6. Cardinals OT Paris Johnson — $19.072 million (playing time).
7. Raiders DE Tyree Wilson — $14.475 million (base).
8. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson — $11.323 million (Pro Bowl).
9. Eagles DT Jalen Carter — $27.127 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
10. Bears OT Darnell Wright — $19.072 million (playing time).
11. Titans OG Peter Skoronski — $19.072 million (playing time).
12. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs — $14.293 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
13. Packers DE Lukas Van Ness — $14.475 million (base).
14. Steelers OT Broderick Jones — $19.072 million (playing time).
15. Jets DE Will McDonald — $14.475 million (base).
16. Rams CB Emmanuel Forbes — $12.633 million (base).
17. Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez — $18.119 million (Pro Bowl).
18. Lions LB Jack Campbell — $21.925 million (Pro Bowl).
19. Buccaneers DT Calijah Kancey — $15.451 (playing time).
20. Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba — $23.852 million (Pro Bowl).
21. Chargers WR Quentin Johnston — $18 million (playing time).
22. Ravens WR Zay Flowers — $27.298 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
23. Vikings WR Jordan Addison — $18 million (playing time).
24. Giants CB Deonte Banks — $12.633 million (base).
25. Bills TE Dalton Kincaid — $8.162 million (base).
26. Jets DT Mazi Smith — $13.391 million (base) Smith was traded to the Jets by the Cowboys.
27. Jaguars OT Anton Harrison — $19.072 million (playing time).
28. Bengals DE Myles Murphy — $14.475 million (base).
29. Saints DT Bryan Bresee — $13.391 million (base).
30. Eagles LB Nolan Smith — $13.752 million (base).
31. Chiefs Felix Anudike-Uzomah — $14.475 million (base).
The mutual interest between the Vikings and Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson should come as no surprise.
After the two teams played in Week 9 of the 2024 season, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell sought out Richardson, who had been benched at the time for Joe Flacco.
“Do me a favor and remember something,” O’Connell said to Richardson. “You’re a bad dude. . . . And you’re gonna play a long time in this league. . . . Go to work every day. Good things will happen for you. I still believe in you. I know these guys do, [Colts coach] Shane [Steichen] does, too. . . . And this organization loves you.”
The fourth pick in the 2023 draft, Richardson started four games as a rookie. In 2024, he had 11 starts. In 2025, he appeared in two games before suffering a season-ending eye injury when an exercise band malfunctioned in the locker room before a Week 6 game against the Cardinals.
Richardson had lost the starting job to Daniel Jones, who had finished 2024 with the Vikings after being cut by the Giants. The Colts have granted Richardson permission to seek a trade.
Richardson is under contract through 2026, with a compensation package of $5.385 million. A fifth-year option remains available, at a guaranteed salary in 2027 of $23.5 million.
Vikings executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski, who is handling the General Manager duties for now, said earlier this week that the team would explore all their options at quarterback. One of those options is Anthony Richardson.
Cameron Wolfe of NFL Media reports that the Vikings and Richardson have “mutual interest.”
The Colts have given Richardson permission to seek a trade.
The Vikings want to add competition to their quarterbacks room. J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in 2024, completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his first season as a starter.
The Vikings finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.
The Colts provided Richardson, the fourth overall pick in 2023, with competition in 2025, and Daniel Jones won the job. Richardson played only two games — 14 snaps — and threw only two passes last season. He was out much of the season with an orbital fracture.
He has 15 starts in three seasons, completing 50.6 percent of his passes for 2,400 yards with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Jones is scheduled for free agency later this month, but all signs point to the Colts keeping him as their starter with either a tag or with a long-term deal.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell’s staff for the 2026 season is set.
The team announced the full staff on Tuesday along with a number of additions and title changes for coaches returning from 2025. Among the latter group is quarterbacks coach Josh McCown taking on the role of pass game coordinator and inside linebackers coach Mike Siravo adding a senior defensive assistant title.
Assistant defensive backs coach Chenzo Funari, assistant linebackers coach Dalmin Gibson, assistant wide receivers coach Derron Montgomery, assistant offensive coordinator Chris O’Hara, assistant defensive line coach Patrick Hill, and assistant quarterbacks coach/passing game specialist Jordan Traylor also have new titles.
The new hires are offensive quality control coach Kyle Caskey, assistant special teams coach Chili Davis, and defensive assistant Will Johnson.
Those coaches join special teams coordinator Matt Daniels, defensive coordinator Brian Flores, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, assistant head coach Frank Smith, defensive passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, outside linebackers coach Thad Bogardus, offensive line coach Keith Carter, tight ends coach/game management coordinator Ryan Cordell, wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, offensive running game coordinator/running backs coach Curtis Modkins, defensive running game coordinator Ryan Nielsen, offensive assistant Ben Ellefson, defensive assistant Charlie Frye, assistant to the head coach Henry Schneider, and assistant offensive line coach Derek Warehime.
