The Arizona Cardinals were the final team to hire a head coach this cycle, appointing former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. The first item on LaFleur's offseason to-do list is to address the quarterback position. The Cardinals should strongly consider retaining Kyler Murray as their starter.
The Cardinals did not oversee a particularly exciting head coaching search. Often focused on the less-popular candidates, general manager Monti Ossenfort operated like someone who understood his vacancy was arguably the least appealing of 10 openings. The Cardinals circled back to LaFleur after their top target, Klint Kubiak, took the Las Vegas Raiders’ job instead, multiple reports have indicated.
LaFleur feels like a high-risk, high-reward appointment. He's certainly inexperienced, possessing just two years of NFL play-calling experience under his belt. That was as the offensive coordinator of the New York Jets' Zach Wilson era in 2021-22.
LaFleur was pushed out to accommodate Aaron Rodgers in 2023, who preferred Nathaniel Hackett to be his offensive coordinator. LaFleur has since then rehabbed his reputation as Sean McVay's offensive coordinator in Los Angeles. That was a non-play-calling role, as McVay takes on that responsibility.
With LaFleur being a pretty big unknown commodity, the quarterback decision looms even larger in Arizona. It's up to Ossenfort and LaFleur to sort through the awkwardness with Murray this offseason. In short, Murray was essentially soft-benched by the Cardinals after he suffered a foot injury in Week 5. He was not re-inserted into the lineup and eventually landed on season-ending IR.
Despite having two years remaining on his rookie deal, Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension in 2022 that runs through the 2028 campaign. Releasing Murray this offseason would result in an immediate dead cap penalty of $47.5 (post-June) or $54.7 million (pre-June), per OverTheCap. Trading him is the preferred outcome if they're severing ties, with the financial savings ($34.7 million) greatly outweighing the penalty ($17.9 million).
If the Cardinals are willing to trade Murray, there would be interested parties. The New York Jets are a straightforward destination after losing the Fernando Mendoza sweepstakes to the Raiders. The Pittsburgh Steelers are an alternative destination if Rodgers retires.
But then what do the Cardinals do at quarterback? There isn’t a signal caller worth taking at No. 3 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Jacoby Brissett is under contract as a low-level veteran bridge starter if the Cardinals are essentially willing to tank the first year of the LaFleur era. Options in free agency could include Malik Willis, Tyrod Taylor, Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson, and current Rams backup Jimmy Garoppolo, who was coached by LaFleur in 2024-25.
Not exactly a murderer's row of options.
How aligned are Ossenfort and LaFleur? Does Ossenfort possess enough job security to give Brissett the 2026 season while looking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft? That would probably be the best long-term solution to solve the Cardinals' quarterbacking woes, but there are no guarantees.
LaFleur is an offensive-minded coach, a purposeful deviation from Jonathan Gannon. If he's a true quarterback whisperer, then perhaps attempting to get Murray back on the franchise quarterback track is the best pathway forward. If not, LaFleur and Ossenfort must be prepared to endure some uncertainties at QB.