Cardinals Could Replace Kyler Murray with Quarterback Who Has Over $150 Million+ Career Earnings

The Cardinals are eyeing Rams backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo to replace Kyler Murray ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

Cardinals Could Replace Kyler Murray with Quarterback Who Has Over $150 Million+ Career Earnings

#11 Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyler Murray inside the circle (Image via IMAGO)

In Short
  • The Cardinals are considering Jimmy Garoppolo as a replacement for Kyler Murray.
  • Murray's performance and injuries have led to a potential trade before June 1 to save cap space.
  • New head coach Mike LeFleur has a history with Garoppolo, which could influence the decision.

The Cardinals’ search for a replacement for Kyler Murray at quarterback appears to be entering its final stages. According to a report from Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the Cardinals have narrowed the list of free agents, and at the top of the pile is Jimmy Garoppolo.

Despite signing one of the biggest contracts in franchise and NFL history, earning $44.5 million per year, Murray failed to live up to the high expectations. Injuries, bad performances, and fallout with the previous coaching regime negatively affected his status as an elite dual-threat quarterback.

Releasing Murray before June 1 will put the Cardinals back $54.7 million in dead cap money. So, the best course of action for them is to find a trade partner. According to Spotrac, if the Cardinals trade Murray before June 1, the club will save around $357 million, bringing the dead cap money to $17.9 million.

The Cardinals may have found their replacement for Kyler Murray

Murray, 28, played just 5 games in 2025, going 2-3. He completed 110 passes (68.3%) for 962 yards, threw 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and rushed for 173 yards and scored one touchdown.

Cardinals Could Replace Kyler Murray With Quarterback Who Has Over $150 Million+ Career Earnings
Jimmy Garoppolo (Image via IMAGO)

In Week 5, Murray suffered a foot injury during the Tennessee game. He was ruled out for the following three games before the Cardinals placed him on injured reserve. It spelled the end of his season.

Veteran Jacoby Brissett, whom the Cardinals brought in from New England, steadied the ship for the rest of the season. Arizona finished at the bottom of the loaded NFC West and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year.

The Cardinals sacked Jonathan Gannon and appointed Mike LaFleur as the new head coach. With new faces on the coaching roster, some of the older guys might be shown the door in the upcoming weeks, starting with Murray. Per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the Cardinals “have their eye on” Jimmy Garoppolo as their next signal caller.

Why should the Cardinals sign Jimmy Garoppolo?

Jimmy G, 34, spent the last two seasons on the Los Angeles Rams roster, backing up the reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford. His offensive coordinator in LA was none other than LaFleur. That said, these two have known each other since their days with the 49ers.

LaFleur was part of the 49ers’ offensive staff from 2017-2020 as the passing game coordinator (and wide receivers coach for two seasons). Garoppolo started 32 games for them and even played in a Super Bowl.

Moreover, the Cardinals’ general manager, Monti Ossenfort, was part of the Patriots’ scouting department that drafted Garoppolo in 2014. The Eastern Illinois product spent the early years in the NFL as the backup to Tom Brady before being shipped to San Francisco in 2017.

Garoppolo earned around $3.1 million in LA as QB2. An agreement must be reached before March 11 if the Rams wish to keep him in LA for the foreseeable future.

As for the Cardinals, Jimmy G is a much cheaper option who can be viewed both as a bridge quarterback and a long-term project. He has had several foot and back injuries since he started playing in the league.

To counter that, the Rams could follow the same route the Raiders did back in the day. They made Garoppolo pass a specialized fitness test before signing a contract. Although Garoppolo returned to the starting lineup, he never fully met the high expectations set during his time with the 49ers. However, his prospects might improve with the Cardinals under LaFleur’s leadership as head coach.

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