Getty Kyler Murray gets pressured by Arik Armstead on October 10, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona.
Former San Francisco 49ers executive Kwesi Adofo-Mensah helped answer the future of Kirk Cousins in the 2023 NFL draft with this move: Choosing not to draft a quarterback in the first round and instead waited until day three by grabbing Jaren Hall.
But does this officially let the Cousins trade rumblings off the hook for the Minnesota Vikings? There’s still the thought of the Vikings finding someone to succeed the four-time Pro Bowler with teams still eligible to make trades until the traditional November deadline.
And one proposal from Heavy’s Trevor Squire on Thursday, May 4 presents this blockbuster idea: Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings make a trade for $230 million Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals.
Kyler Murray Facing Uncertain Future in Arizona
Murray’s future in Glendale, Arizona has gone from shining like the desert sun to evaporating like spilled water on a desert hiking trail.
The tensions began in December through a detailed report by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Josh Weinfuss following Murray’s ACL tear against the New England Patriots. Murray and his head coach Kliff Kingsbury, per both insiders, were at odds with one another.
“Murray was lost for the season when he tore his ACL in his right knee three plays into a Monday night loss to the New England Patriots on Dec. 12. That event occurred after Murray and his head coach had grown increasingly distant throughout Arizona’s disappointing 4-10 season, according to multiple Cardinals sources,” the ESPN report shared, which included the report of Murray wanting more freedom with calling the offense — adding to the tensions between quarterback and head coach.
Kingsbury was axed after the season and has since joined the USC coaching staff. Meanwhile, the general manager responsible for taking the Oklahoma dual-threat at No. 1 overall in 2019 Steve Keim resigned after Kingsbury’s dismissal.
But, the Cards are showing signs of pivoting to more of a defensive identity by hiring Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as head coach…which is sending the signal that the Cards may consider a revamping of the roster including Murray. Furthermore, the new GM Monti Ossenfort worked with two defensive minds at his last two stops in New England (Bill Belichick) and Tennessee (Mike Vrabel) — increasing the thought that Murray may not be a future priority for this new regime.
Move Would Alter 49ers vs. Cardinals Rivalry
Squire’s proposal doesn’t necessarily directly state that Murray and Cousins would be exchanged between one another. But, Cousins will be 35 once the season starts and is now entering a phase in his career where he’s in his twilight years. Minnesota still finds itself in a situation where it’ll have to consider the long-term future at the QB spot.
With Murray, the Ex-49ers director of football research and development Adofo-Mensah and the Vikes would get a potential successor, plus a QB who can add a new mobile element to the Viking offense under head coach Kevin O’Connell. Moving Murray also brings this element: Swift changes to the 49ers-Cards rivalry.
While the last two regular season meetings were one-sided and won handily by the 49ers, this rivalry still featured the top two picks of the ’19 draft in Murray and Nick Bosa. Cornerback Charvarius Ward also further increased the heat of this matchup by blasting Cardinals Pro Bowl wide receiver De’Andre Hopkins during 2022, referring to him as “steroid boy.” Now, Gannon is expected to bring in the same defense that smothered the 49ers in the NFC championship game, all in the name of making this battle more competitive.
But Arizona is facing a franchise-changing decision on whether or not Murray is the future for this new era. And now there’s the proposal for one former 49er to get a dynamic dual-threat away from the 49ers.