Kyler Murray’s Cardinals exit is (nearly) official and the Jets suddenly make too much sense

Kyler Murray has almost certainly played his final game as a member of the Arizona Cardinals. Head coach Jonathan Gannon announced on Friday that Kyler Murray will not return this season, as his foot injury has not progressed enough to allow him to play.

Murray sought a second opinion out of state and underwent additional testing, and the result was the same. He is done for 2025. The Cardinals will finish the year without him and, based on everything we know, likely begin 2026 without him too.

It is the clearest sign yet that Murray’s time in Arizona is coming to an end. And while his contract absolutely complicates matters, the New York Jets suddenly make a whole lot of sense as a landing spot, especially as their 2026 quarterback situation gets murkier by the week.

The ideal scenario for the Jets has always been clean and simple. They would prefer to draft a quarterback. Reset the entire timeline. Build around a rookie contract. But sitting seventh in the current draft order with a class that lacks a true blue-chip signal-caller, that feels less and less likely by the day.

If the Jets do not fall in love with one of these prospects, Murray becomes a realistic, tangible option. Maybe not the dream solution. Definitely not a guaranteed solution. But an option the Jets absolutely have to consider.

Kyler Murray is becoming a very realistic target for the Jets in 2026

Part of the problem is with this year's draft class itself. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza remains the de facto QB1, but few in league circles view him as the type of surefire franchise answer teams willingly climb the board for.

Oregon’s Dante Moore has flashed, but many around college football believe he is returning to school for his junior year. Alabama’s Ty Simpson, once viewed as a potential top-five pick, has watched his stock slip after a month of shaky play. Several outlets now project him outside the top 10 altogether.

The Jets have more than enough ammunition to trade up if they fall in love with a prospect. They hold five first-round picks across the next two drafts. They also own two second-rounders in 2026. But none of that matters if the Jets do not see a quarterback worth climbing for. And right now, they might not.

There is a very real chance the Jets skip the quarterback position in round one entirely. That would force them to turn to the veteran market, which is bleak at best. And that is where Kyler Murray becomes increasingly relevant.

Think of Murray as a better, higher-upside version of the Justin Fields plan. The Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal, hoping he could be a high-upside bridge who might surprise them.

Ultimately, he did not. Murray would require a larger investment, but he also comes with a much higher ceiling. At his best, he has been a borderline top-ten quarterback. He turns 29 in August. He is still in his prime physically.

Murray would not be added to be the surefire long-term answer. He would be added to be the 2026 (and possibly 2027) answer. The Jets have three first-round picks in 2027 and are eyeing a quarterback class that already looks stronger than this year’s group.

Trading for or even signing a released Murray would give the Jets a functional above-average bridge starter who can ideally run Tanner Engstrand’s system and help unlock young talent. That's not a certainty, but it should yield better results than the Fields experiment.

It is the same philosophy as Fields, just with a much better quarterback.

The biggest hurdle with Murray, however, continues to be the money. That is why we have to start with the simple truth that a trade still feels unlikely.

Thanks to the way Arizona structured Murray’s extension, his 2026 and 2027 salaries include massive, fully guaranteed chunks. Any team trading for him would inherit roughly $62 million in immediate guarantees for one season. If they kept him for two years, that number climbs to nearly $79 million. That is not even close to market value.

Yes, the Cardinals could convert his 2026 roster bonus into a signing bonus and pay it themselves. That would drop the contract for a trade partner to something like a one-year, $47 million deal or a two-year, $61 million deal.

However, that is likely still above what he would get in free agency and still requires the Cardinals to eat a massive check up front. Ownership reluctance aside, that does not make a ton of sense for them.

The far more logical outcome is a release. If the Cardinals cut Murray before mid-March, they take on roughly $57 million in dead cap, but they avoid triggering another wave of guaranteed money via his roster bonus.

A team like the Jets could then sign Murray on a far more reasonable contract, something closer to a two-year, $50 million range with far less guaranteed money. That makes it a completely different conversation.

If the Jets do end up outside the quarterback range in April, they will have no choice but to explore veterans. It is a weak free-agent class. Marcus Mariota, Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew, and even Tyrod Taylor are high-end backup options at best. Murray at least gives you a fighting chance and a much higher ceiling than anything else available.

Of course, they will not be alone in the chase if they do decide to pursue Murray. Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers or even the Las Vegas Raiders could have interest. But the Jets check a lot of boxes. The fit makes more sense than fans realize.

Kyler Murray is done for 2025. His Cardinals exit is approaching fast. And as the Jets brace for a quarterback decision in a draft class that looks thinner by the week, Murray is beginning to feel like a very realistic option.

Whether he becomes the answer is another story. But he is absolutely going to be part of the conversation. Fans should prepare for that reality.

Kyler Murray is becoming a very realistic target for the Jets in 2026

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