Report: Cardinals Plan To Keep Jacoby Brissett, Move On From Kyler Murray

Per Jason La Canfora, the Cardinals will be exploring ways to get QB Kyler Murray off the roster ahead of the 2026 season, while keeping QB Jacoby Brissett

Executives around the league tell Canfora Murray “absolutely will be available in trade,” but the Cardinals will have to eat a significant amount of money to facilitate a deal.

One GM in the QB market told Canfora “He’s still gone,” even though the hire of offensive-minded HC Mike LaFleur led some to wonder if they could entertain bringing Murray back.

“We aren’t interested,” the GM said “I can promise you that, but they still really want to move him. The coaching hire doesn’t change anything… I think they will be able to move him, but it’s going to cost them.”

Canfora mentions Murray has $50 million fully guaranteed for 2026, and “the strong sense” around the league is he’s certain to be gone. The GM talking to Canfora thinks conditional draft picks are likely to be the compensation.

“A lot of the draft-pick compensation will end up being tied to how he plays in 2026. But I think he is what he is at this point in his career. Getting a fresh start might help, but there’s a lot of baggage that comes with him.”

LaFleur recently said there’s no timeline on a Murray decision, like everything on the roster, but he has a $19.5 million in 2027 guarantees that will vest on March 15th of this year if he’s still on the roster.

Murray, 28, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cardinals after making the decision to pursue an NFL career, despite being drafted in the first round by the Oakland A’s in 2018. 

Murray signed a four-year, $35,158,644 deal that included a $23,589,924 signing bonus. The Cardinals officially exercised his fifth-year option, which is projected to be worth $29.7 million for the 2023 season. 

Murray then signed a five-year, $230.5 million extension that includes $160 million guaranteed with Arizona back in 2022. 

In 2025, Murray appeared in five games for the Cardinals and completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown.

Brissett, 33, is a former third-round pick of the Patriots back in 2016. The Patriots traded Brissett to the Colts coming out of the preseason in 2017 in return for WR Phillip Dorsett.

Brissett was in the final year of his four-year, $3.411 million contract when he agreed to a two-year deal worth $30 million that included $20 million guaranteed at signing with the Colts back in 2019. 

After a year with the Dolphins, the Browns signed Brissett to a contract in 2022. The Commanders signed him as a free agent in 2023, and he signed another one-year pact with the Patriots in 2024. 

The Cardinals signed Brissett to a two-year contract last March. 

In 2025, Brissett appeared in 14 games for the Cardinals and made 12 starts. He completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also had 38 carries for 168 yards and a touchdown.

We’ll have more on Murray and the Cardinals as the news is available.