Kyler Murray and the Cardinals have entered a game of He Said, Someone Said.
Shortly after general manager Monti Ossenfort implied that he and his franchise quarterback have spoken since the end of the season, a source told ESPN that no such conversations have taken place.
“Yeah, I’ve always had a good dialogue with Kyler,” Ossenfort said when asked Tuesday at the NFL combine whether he and Murray have sat down to discuss the rocky road of last season. “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.”
Ossenfort continued on to say that conversations about Murray’s future happen “daily.”
Well, Murray, 28, isn’t part of those talks and hasn’t been since finishing the season on injured reserve with a foot injury, ESPN reported. Murray was eligible to return in early December, but the Cardinals shut him down to stick with journeyman Jacoby Brissett at quarterback.
Murray is signed through 2027 on a five-year, $230.5 million contract. The Cardinals have a club option in 2028.
But the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft might not be on the team in three weeks because his $19.5 million roster bonus for 2027 guarantees on March 15, 2026. So, the Cardinals will want to decide their level of confidence in him by then — or a few days earlier so they can enter the free-agent sweepstakes.
“All options are on the table for us,” Ossenfort said.
The Cardinals could cut Murray at a $54.7 million dead-cap charge. He only has played a full season once since 2021 and missed 12 starts last season.
It could be worse: The Dolphins are exploring all options with Tua Tagovailoa and hoping for a trade. If he is cut, his dead-cap charge would be an NFL record $99.2 million.
Maybe Murray will play for the Dolphins and Tagovailoa will join the Dolphins during the game of musical chairs ahead.
