The Cardinals are not better off without Kyler Murray this season or beyond

The Arizona Cardinals have to come to terms with a simple truth: Kyler Murray is their best option going forward. 

Many have talked about Murray's future in the Grand Canyon State throughout the 2025 campaign, with the belief that Murray will be playing elsewhere in 2026. He certainly would have his suitors on the market, but it's worth pointing out that the Cardinals aren't better off without Murray in the long run.

Throughout 2025, Murray's foot injury has continued to be a problem, with Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon recently revealing that Murray will be shut down as a result of the ailment. The foot injury appears to be taking longer to heal, so the Cards will continue to roll with backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

While Brissett has been a fine stand-in, he's not elevating the offense. He doesn't have that extra play-making gear that Murray has. In fact, not many people do. A player with the skill set of Murray is rare. Yet, despite being a Top 15 quarterback on his worst day, his future with the club is unclear.

When asked if Murray would return next season as the team's quarterback, Gannon was noncommittal. It seems Murray's future with the club is up in the air, and that's not good now, or for the future.

There is no obvious path forward for the Arizona Cardinals

The 2026 NFL Draft class is particularly weak, at least on paper. There's never a guarantee in the draft, but it feels like this upcoming class has even fewer standout options than in the past. Trading away Murray to roll the dice on an unknown commodity seems short-sighted. Sure, Murray isn't a top-five quarterback, but he's still a better option than an untested rookie. 

Moving on from a known commodity to an unknown commodity could be a very expensive mistake. 

What about a more established player? The Cardinals could swap quarterbacks, like the Rams and Lions in 2021. That worked out for both teams, but would the Cardinals be willing to take that risk? It doesn't always pan out.

Numerous teams have tried to improve the position in recent memory via trades or free agency, only to end up with a downgrade. The Cleveland Browns thought they improved the position with Deshaun Watson, replacing Baker Mayfield with Watson has proven to be a massive mistake.

The Minnesota Vikings are in crisis mode themselves. They had a Pro Bowler in Sam Darnold, who helped the Vikings find success all year long, but let him walk to ride with J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy has not looked like a long-term solution so far. On the other hand, Darnold is thriving in Seattle and looking at a potential Pro Bowl nomination this year. 

The Lions' trade of Matt Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff proved that you can improve your situation with a different player. It's possible that the Cardinals can do the same. Yet, the risk that goes into a move of that scale often is great. The reward, often very minimal. 

The losing is taking a toll, and people want quick fixes. Sadly, there isn't a quick fix. Sometimes you have to put in the work. 

Moving on from Murray may just set you further back on your path to success, and if that ends up being the case, no amount of draft picks or rookies with potential will help you dig yourself out of a mess.