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Cardinals Keep Kyler Murray Timeline Open as Contract Clock Ticks

A looming March 15 guarantee on $19.5 million is forcing a trade-or-cut decision shaped by his $52.7 million cap charge.

Overview

  • New head coach Mike LaFleur said the Cardinals are having open roster discussions with “no timeframe” for a decision on Murray’s future.
  • The fifth day of the new league year, March 15, triggers $19.5 million of Murray’s 2027 salary to vest, effectively setting a deadline to act.
  • Murray carries roughly a $52.7 million 2026 cap hit with $36.8 million already guaranteed; a trade brings cap relief, while a post–June 1 release would spread dead money over two seasons.
  • Interest from other teams is constrained by the contract, with the Vikings and Jets most frequently linked; ESPN’s Bill Barnwell has even proposed a Day 3 pick swap to send Murray to New York.
  • Multiple outlets report a release is viewed as the likelier outcome if no trade materializes, which could make Murray a low-cost free-agent target for QB-needy clubs.