Kyler Murray’s Trade Price Comes to Light
Kyler Murray’s potential trade value may be lower than many expect — and that could quietly put the Vikings in play if they truly explore a more prominent quarterback move this offseason. The combination of contract size and injury concerns is heavily influencing his trade value across the league.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell assembled a list of trades both teams would benefit from. In his proposal, he’s shipping Murray to the New York Jets. Looking at the compensation is a good way to learn how much the passer could be worth if the Vikings are interested in bringing him over.
Barnwell doesn’t think the two-time Pro Bowler would fetch much, particularly because of his contract. In fact, the Cardinals only get a 4th-rounder and have to send a 6th-rounder to the Jets.
The analyst wrote, “Arizona’s problem, as it tries to land a meaningful trade return for its quarterback, is that there aren’t many suitors for Murray because he will make more than $78 million in 2026 and 2027 combined before an opening to move on from his deal emerges in 2028.”
Murray is perhaps the flashiest realistic option for the Vikings. He’s just one year removed from throwing for 3,851 yards and 21 touchdowns and his skill set is unique in the NFL. Murray entered the league with a rare combination of rushing and throwing skills.
The elite traits haven’t always translated to consistent production, but Murray still has 121 passing touchdowns to 60 interceptions, plus 32 rushing scores.
Still, his 2025 campaign raised some questions. The passing game wasn’t particularly impressive with him running the show early in the season and it even became more explosive with backup Jacoby Brissett in the lineup.
Murray missed all but five games with a foot injury, and the Cardinals had no reason to rush him back as they were only fighting for draft position.
Barnwell added, “The Vikings aren’t in great salary cap shape. The Browns probably can’t afford to pay Murray and Deshaun Watson at the same time. The Falcons want to operate from under center. The Raiders are likely to draft a quarterback. The Colts will likely re-sign Daniel Jones. And Murray doesn’t seem like a good fit for what Mike McCarthy wants to do with the Steelers.”
Indeed, there are some salary-cap problems on paper, but it’s fairly easy to push a few buttons to address them. Another factor is that the Cardinals could be inclined to pay some of Murray’s remaining salary to make him more appealing on the trade market and secure better compensation.
While Barnwell ultimately paired Murray with the Jets, the key takeaway for Minnesota is the surprisingly modest projected compensation tied to his contract, especially compared to his suggestion on Mac Jones’ trade value.
“Swapping a Day 3 selection for a quarterback who ranked 14th in Total QBR over the past two years won’t hurt an organization that has a ton of draft capital after the Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner trades,” Barnwell noted. “Jets fans would love to add their quarterback of the future after seeing Sam Darnold thrive in Seattle, but they also haven’t had even league-average QB play in a season since Josh McCown put together a solid year for the Jets in 2017. With nearly $79 million in cap space, the Jets also have plenty of money to spend.”
The Vikings also watched their former quarterback Sam Darnold thrive elsewhere, adding even more pressure to stabilize the position this offseason.
The urgency in Minnesota is understandable. The Vikings went 9-8 despite inconsistent quarterback play and often had to win games with limited offensive production down the stretch. Brian Flores suffocated both the Lions and the Packers during the five-game winning streak to close the season. The Vikings have the defense to make a run, but the offense didn’t live up to any standards.
A new quarterback could help.
Murray could represent a high-upside but volatile solution, instantly raising the offense’s ceiling while forcing Kevin O’Connell to adapt the scheme to a more mobile, off-script quarterback, likely requiring more spread concepts and quick-game emphasis compared to McCarthy’s more vertical play style.
Barnwell concluded on the situation from a Cardinals perspective, “The Cardinals would save $34 million on their 2026 cap and that $78 million or so in cash over the next two years if they trade Murray before June 1. It’s never fun to see the face of the franchise dealt for a Day 3 pick, but I would suspect that the new staff was interviewed and hired with the understanding that Murray wouldn’t be staying in Arizona for much longer. So a Murray trade might be about landing the best available deal instead of waiting for the right one.”
If the market truly values Murray at Day 3 pick-level compensation due to his contract, teams like the Vikings suddenly become far more logical suitors.
Until the situation is resolved, his name won’t leave Minnesota’s quarterback rumor cycle anytime soon.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.