Lead: One day after Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon named Jacoby Brissett the Week 10 starter, Kyler Murray was placed on injured reserve with a lingering mid‑foot sprain. The move changes Arizona’s quarterback picture for at least the next four weeks and raises a broader offseason question about Murray’s place on the roster. Team sources say a full answer will play out in stages — first in weeks, then in months — making Murray’s status a likely focal point of 2026 offseason planning.
Key Takeaways
- Kyler Murray was placed on injured reserve one day after Jonathan Gannon announced Jacoby Brissett would start Week 10; Murray is ineligible to play for at least four weeks.
- The injury is described as a mid‑foot ligament partial tear (a Lisfranc‑area sprain) with swelling but no fracture or dislocation; original recovery was estimated at 3–4 weeks.
- Murray will be eligible to return from IR on Dec. 7 (Week 14) against the Rams, but any activation depends on health and Brissett’s play.
- Jacoby Brissett has posted consecutive starts with at least a 110 passer rating and is the current starter while Murray rehabs.
- Murray signed a five‑year, $230.5 million deal in July 2022 and will have earned $140.5 million through this season; $36.835 million is fully guaranteed for 2026.
- If Murray remains on the roster on the fifth day of the 2026 league year this March, $19.5 million of 2027 salary becomes guaranteed a year early.
- Options for Arizona include releasing Murray (a $57.7 million cap hit, split across 2026–27) or trading him (about $17.9 million dead cap but saves $35.3 million); both routes carry significant cost and roster implications.
Background
The Cardinals entered the 2025 season expecting Kyler Murray to lead their offense under a long‑term contract signed in July 2022. Murray’s five‑year, $230.5 million agreement marked a major investment in the club’s long‑term quarterback plan and has shaped Arizona’s roster and salary cap strategy since. Over the course of the 2025 campaign, injuries and inconsistent availability have complicated that plan.
Mid‑foot injuries — and Lisfranc‑area sprains in particular — can be tricky for mobile quarterbacks because they affect push‑off, cutting and planting the foot. Arizona initially treated Murray conservatively with an expected 3–4 week recovery window, but incomplete healing and edema have prolonged the timeline. Concurrently, the team’s backup, Jacoby Brissett, has produced efficient starts that complicate any immediate return-to‑starter calculus.
Main Event
On the eve of Week 10, coach Jonathan Gannon announced Jacoby Brissett would start, and the Cardinals placed Murray on injured reserve the following day. The IR designation removes Murray from action for at least four weeks and opens a period in which Arizona will evaluate both its quarterback health and its competitive position. Tests reportedly continue to show lingering injury and swelling.
Medical sources involved in the case describe the injury as a mid‑foot ligament partial tear — a sprain in the Lisfranc region — with edema but without bone fracture or dislocation. The team’s initial timeline of 3–4 weeks has been extended because Murray was not fully recovered after that span, and staff remain mindful of reinjury risk should he return too early.
Brissett’s immediate performance has been a stabilizing factor. He has posted at least a 110 passer rating in consecutive starts, giving the Cardinals a win‑now option and creating a realistic path for him to remain the starter if he keeps producing. Arizona faces scenario planning: bring Murray off IR if healthy, keep Brissett riding hot, or rely on Murray only in the event of injury or a playoff push.
Analysis & Implications
Short‑term, Arizona’s decision hinges on medical progress and Brissett’s sustained performance. If Brissett continues to generate high efficiency, the team will face a competitive choice about whether to revert to Murray when eligible or maintain continuity with Brissett. Football teams increasingly prioritize on‑field momentum and offensive rhythm; a hot backup can displace a returning starter, especially when injury history complicates evaluation.
Financially and strategically, the offseason calculus is more complex. Murray’s contract structure places clear deadlines and guarantees that make a spring decision meaningful. Cutting Murray before the March roster guarantee date would avoid accelerating a $19.5 million guarantee for 2027, but a release still produces a sizable immediate and near‑term cap charge. A trade reduces dead cap and can recoup value, but it requires a willing partner and coordination with Murray’s camp on who absorbs what salary.
The trade path is attractive to a contender seeking an experienced starter at reduced net cost, because a trade would produce approximately a $17.9 million dead‑cap number while saving the team about $35.3 million versus keeping him. However, trades are logistically difficult: the Cardinals must find a team ready to take on part of Murray’s contract or absorb the full deal, and Murray must agree to waive trade protections if any apply or accept the destination.
Longer term, the saga highlights broader NFL roster decision trends: teams balancing large quarterback investments against injury risk and opportunity costs. If Arizona moves on, Murray could become an affordable veteran target for playoff teams, similar in concept to recent high‑profile veteran restructures and departures around the league.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original contract | $230.5 million (5 years) |
| Earned through 2025 season | $140.5 million |
| Fully guaranteed for 2026 | $36.835 million |
| 2027 guarantee trigger (if on roster, 5th day) | $19.5 million |
| Release dead cap | $57.7 million (splittable 2026–27) |
| Trade dead cap | $17.9 million (saves ~$35.3M) |
The table above summarizes the principal financial figures shaping Arizona’s offseason options. Those numbers make clear why decisions about Murray are not purely performance‑based: timing and guarantee triggers can materially change the team’s cap outlook and flexibility for 2026 and 2027.
Reactions & Quotes
The team’s public posture has emphasized present‑day decisions over long‑term declarations. The timing of the IR move and the Week 10 starting announcement prompted immediate commentary from team communications and league reporting.
“Jacoby Brissett will be our Week 10 starter.”
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon / team announcement (league reporting)
“Murray is on injured reserve and will be ineligible for at least four weeks.”
Cardinals spokesperson / NFL reporting
“A trade would reduce Arizona’s dead cap compared with a release, but it requires a willing partner and financial coordination.”
Cap/roster analysts (industry commentary)
Unconfirmed
- Whether Murray has played his final down for the Cardinals is not decided and remains subject to medical updates and roster choices over the coming months.
- Which teams, if any, are actively pursuing Murray in trade talks or would accept his salary structure is not publicly confirmed.
- Exact timing of any potential trade or release before the 2026 league year’s fifth day remains speculative until team and player decisions are finalized.
Bottom Line
Kyler Murray’s placement on injured reserve after a Lisfranc‑area sprain shifts Arizona’s short‑term quarterback plan toward Jacoby Brissett and opens an extended period of evaluation. Medical recovery, Brissett’s play, and Arizona’s competitive positioning in the next month will determine whether Murray returns as the starter this season.
Offseason decisions carry large financial consequences: guarantees and cap mechanics mean the Cardinals face meaningful tradeoffs in March. A release is costly on the cap ledger; a trade is logistically harder but financially cleaner. For readers, the key things to watch are Murray’s health updates, Brissett’s performance, and any signs of active trade discussions as the league year approaches.
Sources
- NFL.com — league reporting and team/medical details (media)
- Mayo Clinic — edema explainer (medical resource)
- Spotrac — contract breakdown and guarantees (sports finance database)