NFL fans already souring on Kyler Murray after DeAndre Hopkins' release - "His new nickname is greasep*g"

Kyler Murray has been on a bit of a roller-coaster ride with the Arizona Cardinals over the past few years. He put together the best year of his young career during the 2021 NFL season, posting strong statistics while helping the Cardinals make an appearnce in the NFL Playoffs. His consistent improvements and unique dual-threat playing style landed him a massive contract extension in the offseason.

Expectations were high for the Cardinals entering the 2022 NFL season, but they quickly crashed and burned. Murray struggled by regressing in most statistical categories, leading the Cardinals to a disappointing 3-8 record before a devastating knee injury ended his year early.

This disaster apparently changed the entire direction of the franchise. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired from his position, JJ Watt announced his retirement and Arizona released DeAndre Hopkins. Many NFL fans were specifically outraged by the decision to part ways with the superstar wide receiver.

Furthermore, it seems like many fans on Reddit are directly blaming Kyler Murray for the Cardinals' recent demise, including in some of the following comments:

Comment by u/HToTD from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

Comment by u/PrimeMinisToad from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

Comment by u/dimmyfarm from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

Comment by u/cactus_jack_1 from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

Comment by u/Owasso_Landman from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

Comment by u/farstate55 from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

Comment by u/Tokyoodown from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

Comment by u/Dankofamericaaa2 from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

Comment by u/BurzyGuerrero from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

Comment by u/International-Elk986 from discussion [Winks] A Kyler Murray trade next offseason would come with $46M in dead money and $6M in cap savings. NFL teams are okay with moves like this now. in nfl

It seems as though Kyler Murray's public perception around the NFL has quickly tanked. He's gone from a player who was widely accepted as one of the most exciting young quarterback prospects in the game to apparently a complete bust that the Cardinals must dump at any cost.

While moving on from Murray doesn't sound like a wise financial decison for the Cardinals, it's not necessarily outside the realm of possibilities. Their recent release of DeAndre Hopkins comes with an enormous $22.6 million in dead cap money, so they may be willing to suffer a salary cap burden in the short-term to start rebuilding again for the future.

How much would it cost the Cardinals to trade Kyler Murray?

Kyler Murray

If the Cardinals are in fact looking to move on from Kyler Murray, trading him makes the most financial sense overall. Trading him after June 1 during the 2023 NFL offseason will save them about $3 million against the salary cap, while carrying more than $46 million in dead cap money.

Waiting until the conclusion of the 2023 NFL season to explore a trade for Murray comes with additional financial incentives for Arizona. Trading him before June 2024 next offseason would create nearly $6 million in salary cap space.

After June 1 clearly makes the most sense, as it creates nearly $39 million in cap relief. The dead cap number would still exceed $46 million, but it would be spread out over two seasons.