Kyler Murray’s future with the Arizona Cardinals remains uncertain. General manager Monti Ossenfort understands the spotlight on the QB position after bringing in Mike LaFleur, the third coach Murray would work with since being drafted. As questions continue to linger, a recent verdict from an NFL exec has now come in.

“I talked to a top personnel executive with the team recently, and he described Kyler in such a great way, which is that Kyler is the quarterback you don’t want to have, but you also don’t want to face,” Jori Epstein reported during discussions at the NFL combine. “And I thought it was a great way to do it.”

Having appeared in just five games last season before landing on injured reserve, Murray remained on the sidelines as Jacoby Brissett held the position. Despite these limited appearances, Murray’s ability merited a prediction about other teams from this NFL exec.

“He was like, he is such a pain to face,” Epstein further said. “And I think that element of it and that dual threat ability, even if he’s had his ups and downs in the league, will make it that someone believes that they’re going to be the one to save Kyler Murray and that they’re going to be the one who can make it work.”

Further highlighting how the market looks for the quarterback, she pressed on the salary implications, revealing the prediction that the franchises still believe in a strong future for him if he lands in the right spot.

“I recognize the salary implications,” she added. “I also think people around the league believe that Kyler is going to have a really strong year if he gets to a new destination. Now, they’re not sure three to five strong years, but they do think it’s going to be like new change of scenery that someone’s not used to it or divisions not used to what he can do.”

Kyler Murray is under a big contract with the Arizona Cardinals, signed as a five-year, $230.5 million extension in 2022. The numbers marked his contract as one of the largest for a quarterback in the NFL.

His deal also carries heavy financial implications, with a large portion guaranteed in future seasons and significant cap charges if the team keeps him or lets him go.

However, his limited participation in the 2025 season added fuel to trade speculation as the Cardinals struggled and other quarterbacks stepped up. This was mainly because a foot injury ended his year early, putting him on injury reserve.

Before the injury, he completed 110 of 161 passes for 962 yards, with 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, while also adding 173 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown.

Because of the size and guarantees in Murray’s deal, trading or releasing him would have major salary cap effects. A trade could save tens of millions in cap space and reduce future financial hits, but dead money (salary still counting against the cap) would still exist.

Teams interested in Murray must weigh his upside against the cost and health questions, making this one of the most talked-about offseason subjects in the NFL.

Besides this, a speculated lack of conversation between the general manager, Monti Ossenfort, and the QB has only added more concerns to the matter.

Cardinals GM admits to having a dialogue with Kyler Murray, with reports suggesting otherwise

The future of Kyler Murray with the Arizona Cardinals is under the spotlight, and there appears to be mixed messaging inside the organization.

While General Manager Monti Ossenfort said he has maintained steady communication with his quarterback after a disappointing and injury-shortened season, a source countered the claim by mentioning that Murray and Ossenfort have not spoken since the season ended.

“Yeah, I’ve always had a good dialogue with Kyler,” Ossenfort said at the NFL Combine. “And I’d say [last season] wasn’t up to what Kyler wanted. It wasn’t up to what any of us wanted as a season as a whole.”

However, a source overruled the claim by making it clear that there has been a direct lack of communication between the GM and the quarterback.

Murray’s 2025 season ended early after he suffered a foot injury in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans. He played only five games before being placed on injured reserve in early November. Although he became eligible to return in December, then-coach Jonathan Gannon announced Murray would not play again last season.

Despite the reports from sources, Ossenfort made it clear that nothing is guaranteed. He said conversations about Murray’s future happen “daily” and added that “all options are on the table.” The Cardinals must soon decide whether to keep Murray on the roster past the fifth day of the new league year, which would trigger a fully guaranteed $19.5 million roster bonus for 2027.