The long speculated move is complete: The Arizona Cardinals are moving on from Kyler Murray. The quarterback's exit doesn't come via trade. In the end, Arizona had to eat the $54 million in dead cap by releasing him on the first day of the new league year, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Some obvious landing spots immediately spring to mind, from the Dolphins to the Steelers. Murray will certainly seek immediate playing time with one of the QB-needy teams out there. But the obvious option isn't always the best one. At least not for a quarterback's career longterm. Sure, Murray could get a gig with the Browns, but he'd be setting himself up for the same fate all QBs in Cleveland suffer.
To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
— Kyler Murray (@K1) March 3, 2026
I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77 year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my…
Here are some under-the-radar options with Murray's long-term career in mind...
Los Angeles Rams
Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones (and many others) prove that talented quarterbacks can be rehabilitated after being ruined by bad teams. All they need is to land in the right situation. The right situation for Murray is playing for a coach with a functioning scheme and a good track record at quarterback. That's true even if the path to a starting job is blocked.
The Los Angeles Rams will have Matthew Stafford for another year, but they need a backup quarterback. They could use one of their first rounders on a QB, or they could look at a former No. 1 pick. Now, I'm not crazy. There's no way Murray is looking around right now and hoping for a backup job. The question isn't what Murray wants in the short term. It's what would help him the most in the long term. The answer is Sean McVay.
NFL Mock Draft: Full 3-round projection with trades after the Combine
McVay's offense would speed things up for Murray in terms of decision-making while letting him rip the long ball when possible. The structure in the Rams scheme could help refine Murray's improvisation-heavy tendencies.
Besides, Stafford would be a great example for Murray, whose study habits need work.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts just put the transition tag on Daniel Jones. That means he can now receive offers from suitors in free agency while Indianapolis has the chance to match. They've basically said, We don't think you're worth as much as you think. Go find someone else willing to set your market.
Jones' market is cloudy for a reason. He had a big bounceback year, but was it a flash in the pan? He's recovering from an Achilles injury — the same injury that derailed Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers for far longer than the official recovery period. Even if the Colts bring Jones back, is it viable to play him in 2026? It wasn't for the Falcons or the Jets.
That's where Murray comes in. Available for the veteran minimum, Murray doesn't have to settle for league doormats. He could effectively do what Darnold did for the Vikings and Jones did for the Colts. Fill in for a year, and maybe get more where that came from.
Murray's former quarterbacks coach with the Cardinals, Cameron Turner, holds the same role with the Colts. For the record, Turner and Murray worked together during the quarterback's better years in Arizona.
In this scenario, head coach Shane Steichen could get another option on the table for cheap, taking the pressure off of Jones to come back before he's ready. Murray would add dynamic running from the QB spot with big play ability downfield keeping teams honest. Instead of wasting another year of Jonathan Taylor's excellence, Indianapolis could make a playoff push.
As for Murray, Steichen has a strong track record of getting more out of quarterbacks with question marks around them. He'd be joining a team with true postseason aspirations. Most importantly, he'd be putting himself in the shop window, whether setting up a continuing career in Indy or a chance to take over somewhere else.
Cincinnati Bengals
Okay, I saved the most insane landing spot for last because why would a quarterback willingly go to Cincinnati to sit behind Joe Burrow? The answer is kind of a bummer...
Joe Burrow gets injured. A lot. And those injuries piling up have pushed him closer and closer to the Andrew Luck category of "Great QBs Whose Careers Were Ruined By Their Bodies." He's missed time with a knee, calf, wrist and toe injuries. He's sprained his MCL and ruptured his appendix.
Burrow was able to finish out the 2025 campaign after returning from turf toe and the Bengals expect him to be healthy coming into the 2026 season. Of course, they expected that in 2022 when he came down with appendicitis during training camp or in 2023 when he suffered another training camp injury, this time a calf strain.
All that is to say, Murray could sign on to be the backup in Cincinnati and have every expectation of playing. Even if he didn't, a year watching Burrow ply his craft while working along side Zac Taylor could do wonders for Murray's development.
Patience is a virtue. Is Murray willing to bide his time and land in the advantageous, but not obvious, spot?