By shutting Kyler Murray down for the season, Cardinals hope to avoid $19.5 million in 2027 guarantees

Yes, the Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray are destined for an offseason divorce.

Friday’s announcement that Murray won’t play again this year for the Cardinals wasn’t a surprise. For some, it was expected.

The Cardinals already owe Murray $39.8 million, fully guaranteed, for 2026. If he’s on the roster on the fifth day of the 2026 league year, another $19.5 million in 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed, too.

The Cardinals need Murray to be healthy before the day the guarantee vests. If he isn’t, they can’t avoid the 2027 guarantee by cutting him.

It may be academic, if his foot injury from Week 5 isn’t fully healed by March. Even if he’s currently healthy, there’s no reason to risk an injury that would open the door to another $19.5 million for Murray.

It’s the fourth straight year an NFL team has shut down a starting quarterback to minimize future liability. The Raiders did it with Derek Carr in 2022. The Broncos did it with Russell Wilson in 2023. The Giants did it with Daniel Jones in 2024.

Now, the Cardinals will stop the bleeding at $39.5 million — without risking the possibility that it will increase to $59 million.

And while a trade remains possible, the Cardinals would surely have to pay a large chunk of the $39.5 million that Murray is owed in 2026. Cutting Murray would allow him to do a one-year deal for the veteran minimum with another team, like Wilson did with the Steelers in 2024, with the rest of the money coming from the Cardinals.

Regardless, today’s news is the next step toward the inevitable announcement that the Cardinals have released Murray. Unless, of course, he can’t pass a physical before the fifth day of the 2026 league year.