Coach warns of Kyler Murray 'disaster' for Jets

A recent report suggested that the Arizona Cardinals "aren’t finding a trade suitor who will take on" what's left of the five-year contract extension reportedly worth $230.5M with $160M guaranteed that quarterback Kyler Murray signed in the summer of 2022.

Even before numerous reports revealed that the Cardinals and Murray will likely finalize a divorce at some point after the new league year opens on March 11, some linked him with a New York Jets side that will almost certainly have a new starting quarterback this coming summer. For a piece published on Monday, NFL/Jets reporter Connor Hughes of SNY spoke with an unnamed "coach who worked with Murray in Arizona." 

That coach wasn't fond of the idea of the Jets possibly signing Murray.

Jets warned to avoid Kyler Murray "disaster" 

"Long term, though? For a young, developing team? 'It would be a disaster,'" that coach said about a possible Jets-Murray marriage. "...That source cited concerns about work ethic, leadership and locker-room connectivity during his time with the Cardinals. He’s not a person people follow." 

For whatever reasons, multiple people who would know what Murray is like behind the scenes think the Jets should look elsewhere regarding their search for a QB1. For an article posted in early February, one of Murray's former teammates said that "you don’t want Kyler Murray as your quarterback." 

More recently, it was reported that the Cardinals have serious "questions" about Murray's "work ethic" and "leadership." It was also mentioned that Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has "several assistant coaches who worked for the Cardinals while Murray was there" on his staff. 

Does Aaron Glenn think Kyler Murray simply needs a change of scenery?

"Players can evolve, and a change of scenery can make a difference – sure," Hughes added. "Glenn has a relationship with Murray’s father, which could factor into any evaluation. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Jets explore the possibility."

That said, Hughes also mentioned that "league expectation is that Murray lands with a franchise known for quarterback development and reclamation projects," such as the Minnesota Vikings. Perhaps keeping Murray out of the locker room will prove to be a positive for a Jets team that's coming off a 3-14 season.