The Arizona Cardinals are projected to have one of the league’s worst records this season. They’re last in the LWOS 2023 NFL Power Rankings. Arizona also has the Houston Texans 2024 first-round pick from the Texans trading up to select Will Anderson Jr. at pick No. 3. Heading into the 2023-24 NFL season, signs are pointing towards the Cardinals having at least one high draft pick. In a draft class headlined by quarterback prospects Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, this could mean that Arizona decides to rebuild around a new quarterback. There’s a reasonable scenario in which Kyler Murray is on the move.
This article delves into potential trade targets that could make sense as a fit for Murray if the Cardinals move on in another direction. The teams identified have question marks at the quarterback position yet are projected to finish the season with respectable records that would put them outside of contention for a high draft pick.
5 Potential Trade Partners for Kyler Murray
Tennessee Titans
Ryan Tannehill is 35 years old. Backup quarterback Malik Willis has shown flashes of potential with his dual-threat ability, but more is needed for Tennessee to feel confident moving forward with him as Tannehill’s replacement. Adding Murray could extend the Titans timeline with aging offensive stars Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins. Head coach Mike Vrabel and the Titans defense are good enough to trade assets for Murray in an attempt to contend rather than orchestrating a complete roster teardown. A Murray and Hopkins reunion could make sense for the Titans.
New England Patriots
Mac Jones had a promising rookie season in 2021 but took a step back last season. The Patriots agree they have a problem at quarterback, as they opted to start Bailey Zappe over Jones for four games. If you have two quarterbacks, you have none. Bill Belichick has traditionally had more pocket quarterbacks to work with in his career, notably Tom Brady and Jones. Still, he is arguably the greatest coach of all time and would undoubtedly find a way to optimize Murray’s dual-threat ability.
Washington Commanders
The jury is still out on Commanders quarterback Sam Howell. They’ve gone on record to say they’re excited about Howell’s progression, with head coach Ron Rivera admitting he wishes he would have played him sooner. But there’s still a chance that Howell will underperform this season, and Washington needs to address the position next offseason. The Commanders have great receiving core and defense, which Murray has yet to have much of in Arizona. Washington is an underrated NFL team ready to compete right away with Murray.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are an intriguing option for a Murray landing spot. They’ve spent extremely high draft capital on promising offensive weapons in Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson. Their quarterback, Desmond Ridder, is the only thing holding back Atlanta’s explosive offensive potential. If he has a poor season, Atlanta could be eager to improve their quarterback position to get the most out of their weapons. Murray is 26 and could fit in exceptionally well with their roster timeline.
San Francisco 49ers
It’s fair to question whether or not the Cardinals would be willing to trade with a divisional rival. However, San Francisco is in win-now mode, as evidenced by their trade for running back Christian McCaffrey last season. Since Arizona is in rebuilding mode, they could be content with making the 49ers better in the short term since the timelines wouldn’t be in sync. The 49ers arguably have the best roster talent in the entire NFL. The glaring question mark is whether quarterback Brock Purdy can lead them to a Super Bowl. If the 49ers aren’t convinced that’s the case after this season, they could continue pushing their chips all in with a trade for a more proven quarterback in Kyler Murray.
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