The NFL season may be over, but the Kyler Murray trade rumors have only just begun.
The Arizona Cardinals QB recently made waves by deleting all references to the team on his social media accounts and unfollowing them as well, sparking speculation that he wants to be traded and/or is unhappy with his contract as he enters the final year of his rookie deal.
Murray seemed to dispel the rumors with his most recent post, however, posting a picture of him in a Cardinals jersey with a caption that included, “All of this nonsense is not what I’m about, never has been, never will be."
A Monday social media post from Murray’s agent Erik Burkhardt made it clear that Murray wants to be Arizona’s long-term QB.
Is he throwing down this ultimatum? ‘Me or head coach Kliff Kingsbury? You choose.’
Even so, Murray’s situation remains relatively unclear. Will he make his intentions known and publicly demand a trade, as Aaron Rodgers and Julio Jones did last year? Or will he return to Arizona after leading the team to 11 wins and a playoff berth last season?
Let’s try to figure out where he’ll end up based on the odds and futures bets for Kyler Murray’s next team.
Kyler Murray Next Team Odds
All NFL futures odds are current as of 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, February 24, courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.
Which Arizona Cardinals QB Takes 1st Snap of NFL Regular Season?
- Kyler Murray (-500)
- Any Other QB (+340)
Given the uncertainty surrounding Murray’s situation at the moment, many sportsbooks have yet to post odds about where he’ll play next year.
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Most seem to be operating under the assumption that Murray won’t be going anywhere, which aligns with the Cardinals being his favored destination at BetMGM.
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That said, Murray will certainly draw interest from other teams as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL if he’s made available. Several teams could certainly use his services, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, who just saw Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger retire.
Should the Cardinals keep Kyler Murray?
This is a major question that might come down to how Murray fits with Arizona’s long-term plans and whether head coach Kliff Kingsbury will remain a part of them.
The former Texas Tech architect has a long-standing reputation as an offensive guru, but Arizona’s recent playoff disappointment — despite boasting a defense that has been strongly rebuilt via the NFL Draft and NFL free agency — cast doubt on his head-coaching prowess.
Murray, all things equal, is a perfect fit for Kingsbury’s spread offense. Plus, the two have known each other a long time, with Kingsbury nearly recruiting Murray to Texas Tech before the QB chose Texas A&M and eventually transferred to Oklahoma.
Is Murray’s sharp commentary on his contract situation an indictment of Kingsbury, or the front office? Does Murray believe he would thrive under a new head coach?
If the Cardinals extend Murray and let go of Kingsbury, they’ll need to bring in a head coach that maximizes Murray’s skill set to put him in the best spot to succeed.
If Murray does demand a trade, he’ll have no shortage of suitors. The Cardinals likely won’t run to part with him, however, given his age (24), otherworldly talent, and reasonable salary.
Kyler Murray Next Team Prediction
Arizona Cardinals (-500) at BetMGM
Murray isn’t going anywhere. Franchise quarterbacks are seldom traded, especially so early in their careers.
Murray also isn’t the problem for the Cardinals. Arizona’s record has improved in each of his three seasons with the team as he’s developed into an MVP candidate. If anything, Kingsbury is on the hot seat for failing to maximize the team’s (and Murray’s) potential.
After getting blown out by the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round, the Cardinals have a critical offseason ahead of them. They’ll either extend Murray, fire Kingsbury, or both, but one thing they’re not going to do is trade the former.
Bet on Murray sticking around for our NFL bet of the day.
