Former NFL GM floats wild QB trade for Vikings

Former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum has an interesting proposal at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in Kyler Murray.

Every year, teams will move on from their starting quarterback in hopes of starting anew. This year, multiple teams have done just that to try and set themselves up for the future.

The Minnesota Vikings are in that bucket and are in need of a starting quarterback. Kirk Cousins has moved on to the Atlanta Falcons and former NFL GM and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum floated a wild trade proposal which has the Vikings acquiring Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and the 66th overall pick for the 11th overall pick.

So here’s my proposition to clear some cap space for the Cards, officially start the McCarthy era in Arizona and fix the Vikings’ QB issue. In my mind, the No. 11 pick for Murray straight up is too rich, and No. 23 — Minnesota’s other first-rounder — on its own is not enough. So I’m attaching that third-rounder to level this out. It’s similar to what the Cardinals did during the 2022 draft, when they traded their first-round pick (No. 23) to Baltimore for receiver Marquise Brown and a third-rounder.

From the Vikings’ standpoint, everything I said earlier about Murray’s durability still matters, but he’s cheaper and younger than Kirk Cousins would have been to re-sign and gives them a chance to compete this season rather than rebuild.

The argument that Tannenbaum is making centers around the idea that McCarthy hasn’t missed games but Murray has. McCarthy hasn’t missed games because he hasn’t played in the NFL yet.

Is this a good move for the Vikings? That in itself is an interesting conversation. Murray has elite level arm talent and excellent athleticism. However, is he going to be the elite quarterback that people thought he would be when the Cardinals selected him first overall?  Plus, the Vikings wouldn’t get the benefit of a rookie contract.

It’s an interesting idea but not likely one rooted in reality.

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Kyler Murray’s work, leadership praised by Jonathan Gannon, Budda Baker

Kyler Murray continues to get high marks for his work behind the scenes as a player, teammate, leader.

To say that Kyler Murray has been a lightning rod since being selected No. 1 overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 draft would be an understatement, judging by the persistent outside noise that was often over the top but also at times justified.

It also appears clear that the torn ACL Murray suffered late in the 2022 season humbled him, coupled with the arrival of general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon early in the 2023 offseason.

Murray attacked his rehab and learning a new offense with a vengeance and then performed well in the final eight games of the season.

Gannon has had nothing but praise when talking about his quarterback and reiterated those thoughts Tuesday morning while speaking at the NFC coaches breakfast at the league meetings in Orlando, Fla.

“Everything that we’ve asked of him, he’s went above and beyond,” Gannon said. “If you watch the tape, you know why I’m convicted. But it’s not only the tape at that position. The other things that he brings to the table as a person, as a teammate, as a competitor, I absolutely love. Saddle me up; let’s go. Just from a standpoint of respect and love and care and developing that relationship with him we kinda like hit it off. So feel really good about where he’s at and where he wants to go.”

In comments Cardinals safety Budda Baker made on the Up & Adams podcast with Kay Adams, it was clear he agrees with Gannon’s assessment.

Baker said, “It’s night and day from his rookie year until now. Always a great player. (But now) a guy you can talk to, any of the players can talk to whether it’s the practice squad guys or the best players on the team. He’s around us. He jokes, cracks jokes, he talks. He’s a great leader, so definitely excited for him to continue to grow, continue to get better and lead this organization.”

Gannon can’t wait to get on the grass when the offseason program begins next month when Murray can focus on football, not rehabbing from a major injury.

The coach said, “That’s why I’m super excited about spring, getting to go through spring and then training camp with him because there’s some things that we want to explore that we think he can handle and there’s some things that he has brought up (and) that he wants some things added that he likes and he is comfortable with. So that’s always a coach and player thing, player and coach, which I love and I just think that him being in the spring and going through spring is really gonna help his development within our system with him as a player.

“I mean we changed his stance, how he took the snap and he took to it and understood the why behind it and he likes it now, but he’s gonna bank all those reps in the spring. So that’s why I say his best football is head of him, which is interesting to say because he’s played at such a high level.”

Moving his hand upward, Gannon concluded, “I really think he’s gonna keep going that way.”

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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The latest NFL mock draft from ESPN has the Cardinals trading Kyler Murray and taking J.J. McCarthy

Now THIS would make for a wild draft night.

WHOA.

Now THIS would be a shock on the night of the 2024 NFL Draft or before: imagine if the Arizona Cardinals decide to trade QB Kyler Murray and take a new quarterback of the future.

In some NFL mock drafts, the Cardinals have traded down, or they stick at No. 4 to take a receiver. In our latest mock draft from Christian D’Andrea, he’s got them taking stud WR Marvin Harrison Jr. But in the new ESPN mock from former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum, he proposes the Cardinals trade Murray to the Minnesota Vikings (the Cards would get the No. 11 pick!) and take J.J. McCarthy. Wild!

Here’s his take:

Look, QB availability is crucial in today’s NFL — 66 passers started at least one game last season — and Kyler Murray hasn’t played a full season since 2020. I really like McCarthy’s long-term upside. The 21-year-old averaged 9 yards per attempt and completed 72.3% of his throws last season, and he bulked up to 219 pounds at the combine. In short, I think he’s a better, younger and more durable quarterback than Murray right now, and I’m not passing up this chance.

You might point to Murray’s contract (which includes $35.3 million guaranteed for 2024 and $29.9 million guaranteed for 2025), but teams routinely eat substantial dead money these days for a better opportunity at the position. And besides, I think the Cardinals could get a first-round pick back in exchange for him — stay tuned there, I might have something up my sleeve.

Fascinating! Make sure to check out the latest NFL mock draft from Christian D’Andrea and the updated 2024 NFL draft order.

Cardinals love Kyler Murray (and we should know that)

Everything surrounding Murray only a year after a lot of uncertainty with his spot on the roster is great.

A year ago, uncertainty abounded about whether the Arizona Cardinals remained committed to quarterback Kyler Murray. There was a new general manager, a new head coach and he was rehabbing a torn ACL after a terrible season.

A year later, there is no question. The Cardinals are committed to Kyler Murray. Everything general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon have said about Murray has been glowingly positive.

That isn’t just lip service.

As SI.com’s Albert Breer wrote this week, the Cardinals love Murray.

Why?

He notes a few things.

  1. His continued presence in the team facility all offseason during his rehab, including after the offseason program, when it is commonplace for veterans to leave. (It is important to note that presence has continued this offseason as well. He continues to be in the building daily and has had conversations with the team’s new player additions in free agency.)
  2. During his rehab, he showed a deep commitment to the mental side of his preparation. He dove into the new playbook in a new scheme with new coaches and was engaged all offseason.
  3. After his return to the field, he looked like himself.
  4. Coaches saw him turn a corner with the offense and he was seeing things the way the coaches want him to see them.
  5. He proved he “was coachable, he was gutsy and he was clutch.”

Murray’s play to end the season showed a quarterback playing at a high level. After years of questions about his practice habits, his study habits, his relationship with coaches and his leadership with teammates, it all came together. No one is publicly or quietly questioning it now.

No longer are we hearing anonymous sources from in the building criticizing Murray.

If there were real problems previously, they are gone. Whether it was Murray, the front office or the coaching, things now are looking good. Murray is ascending again and the Cardinals are too.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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WATCH: New Commanders TE Zach Ertz’s highlights

Zach Ertz comes to Washington with 709 career receptions and 46 touchdowns.

New Commanders tight end Zach Ertz comes to Washington with plenty of experience. A second-round pick in 2013, Ertz enters his 12th NFL season in 2024.

Washington fans know Ertz all too well. Having spent the first 8.5 seasons of his career with the Eagles, Ertz regularly caused matchup problems for the Commanders. Ertz has played 17 career games against Washington and has 93 receptions for 888 yards and three touchdowns. Ertz has three games against Washington in which he has caught 10 or more passes.

For his career, Ertz has 709 receptions for 7,434 yards and 46 touchdowns. After the Eagles traded him to the Arizona Cardinals in 2021, many believed his best days were behind him. But then Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury reignited Ertz’s career. Ertz was so effective under Kingsbury that he earned a two-year extension that offseason.

Now, Kingsbury is Washington’s offensive coordinator and, with a need at tight end, reunited with Ertz.

The Commanders are expected to select a quarterback at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Ertz will be the perfect safety valve for a young quarterback. During his career, he has helped other young passers, such as Carson Wentz, Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray.

Courtesy of the Commanders’ social media, let’s look at some of Ertz’s career highlights finding the end zone.

 

Photo Gallery: Kyler Murray and Marquise Brown moments from Oklahoma and NFL

Best photos of former Sooners Marquise Brown and Kyler Murray together.

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There’s just something about a bond between teammates that draws you together long after you’ve played together. When teammates from college head to the NFL, it’s kinda rare that they get the opportunity to continue playing together.

Though recent drafts have bucked the trend with Ja’Marr Chase joining Joe Burrow in Cincinnati and Jaylen Waddle joining Tua Tagovailoa in Miami, you don’t often see quarterbacks and wide receivers from college on the same team.

Kyler Murray and Marquise Brown had the opportunity to play together for two seasons in Arizona. Now a free agent, Brown is heading to Kansas City to join Creed Humphrey, Patrick Mahomes, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Though they’re no longer teammates, the bond the two have shared over the years carried over to social media as Kyler Murray reacted to the news.

Here’s a look back at [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] and [autotag]Marquise Brown[/autotag] together.

Kyler Murray has perfect response to Aaron Donald’s retirement announcement

Murray had two funny responses to Aaron Donald’s retirement announcement on Friday.

The Arizona Cardinals saw one of their most formidable opponents ever call it quits. Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald announced his retirement Friday on social media.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray had a pair of perfect responses to Donald’s post on X. The first was one of relief that he won’t have to face him again, a reply to Donald’s retirement post.

Murray also crafted a congratulatory post for Donald.

Donald had extraordinary success against the Cardinals. In 20 regular-season games, he saw the Rams win 14 of them. He had 16 of his 111 career sacks against the Cardinals, more than against any other team. He had 26 tackles for loss against Arizona, more than against any other team, and 34 quarterback hits, the second-most he had against any team.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Kyler Murray reacts to Marquise Brown signing with the Chiefs, and ‘Hollywood’ responds

Kyler Murray reacted on social media to the departure of friend and former Sooners teammate Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.

It’s the end of an era in Arizona. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown signed a one-year deal with the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, leaving the Cardinals and close friend and former Sooners teammate Kyler Murray.

The two reunited in Arizona after a draft day trade sent Brown to the Cardinals in 2022.

In two seasons with the Cardinals, “Hollywood” caught 118 passes for 1,283 yards and seven touchdowns in 26 games.

Murray reacted on social media, sharing a clip from the 2006 film, “The 300,” sharing his disappointment in his teammate’s and friend’s departure for K.C.

In the clip, Leonidas, King of Sparta, tells Ephialtes, “may you live forever,” after the disfigured descendant of Sparta betrays the Spartan army to Xerxes and the Persian army.

Murray then shared a meme of Wolverine looking longingly at a photo. The photo was of Murray and Brown’s time together with the Oklahoma Sooners playing rock, paper, scissors.

“Hollywood” responded in a post on the social media platform X, saying, “I’ma miss you little man.”

The two have had a close bond since setting the college football world on fire during the 2018 season. During Murray’s Heisman Trophy winning season, Brown caught 75 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns. Both players were taken in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.

It’s not a terrible day for Murray, though. The Arizona Cardinals quarterback and the rest of the NFC West received some good news when multiple All-Pro and NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald announced his retirement from the Los Angeles Rams and the NFL.

As the saying goes, when one door closes, a gaping hole in the middle of the defense opens.

More: Best photos of Kyler Murray and Marquise Brown

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Kyler Murray had the best (and most honest!) 2-word reaction to Aaron Donald’s retirement announcement

Kyler Murray is too real for this 😂

They probably won’t admit it, but so many quarterbacks around the NFL probably breathed a deep sigh of relief when Aaron Donald announced his retirement on Twitter.

For 10 years, Donald ripped through the middle of offensive lines across the NFL to get into the backfield and terrorize so many of your favorite quarterbacks. That’s how you get to 111 sacks through 10 seasons.

READ MORE: 6 astounding Aaron Donald stats that you absolutely need to know

Kyler Murray was one of those quarterbacks. And, unfortunately for him, he had to face Donald twice every single year because the Rams and Cardinals are in the same division.

So when Donald’s announcement went public, Murray’s initial reaction was only two words: Thank God.

EL. OH. EL. Can you blame him? I mean, it’s Aaron Donald, y’all. Kyle Murray is one of the smallest quarterbacks out there.

Of course, Murray still sent Donald well wishes in his retirement. He also called him the best of all time. He did make sure to tell him to never come back, though.

Thank you for your honesty, Kyler Murray.

Kyler Murray is Cardinals’ QB, and that’s no bull

The year’s NFL combine has a much different narrative for the Cardinals at quarterback than what was expected a year ago.

INDIANAPOLIS – It’s somehow fitting and perhaps contradictory that this year’s NFL combine is sponsored by NOBULL.

After all, so much of what is said and written about the draft process and, for that matter, the league, in general, is TOTAL BULL.

Consider that last year at this time and throughout the offseason, the consistent narrative was that the Cardinals would likely earn the first pick in the 2024 draft so they could select USC quarterback Caleb Williams and move on from the then-injured and rehabbing Kyler Murray.

The Cardinals’ brain trust never wavered on Murray, who embraced the fresh approach of new head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort, while responding with a relentless rehab and production in the final eight games of the 2023 season that has entrenched him as the guy for at least this season and likely beyond.

Meanwhile, the top of this year’s draft will be highlighted by a group of quarterbacks that are pushed too high because they are the best of the class, when it’s likely some will never reach the heights of expectations.

That includes Williams, who brings with him an entitled demeanor and family baggage, while putting several teams in a precarious position because he refused to be medically tested in Indianapolis.

When Ossenfort was asked this week how much he likes not searching for a franchise quarterback, he said, “Yeah, I think it’s a good position to be in. The way Kyler came back at the end of the year, he gave us all a lot of confidence (because of) the way the offense hit their stride both running the football, throwing the football, and just getting Kyler’s health back to a point where he could use his legs, use his arm, do the things we’re accustomed to seeing.

“I think as always we’re going to evaluate every position that comes in the draft, but knowing Kyler is where he’s at and not only where he’s at but getting better and seeing him work and progress the way he has, I think it’s an exciting spot to be in.”

Noting that Murray has been in the facility “every day” since the end of the season, Gannon is enthused that he will be healthy this offseason.

“I know he’s excited to go through OTAs, training camp, preseason,” Gannon said. “I think you saw late in the year kind of where we evolved to, and we’ll pick up where we left off and continue to expand for him what he’s comfortable with. The game will go through (No.) 1.”

As for Murray’s next step, Gannon said simply, “Just reps, time on task with him. I think he can do it all, but I think just his comfort level of operating at a really high level, which he showed obviously during the year that he can do. I don’t think you’ve seen his best ball, either. I’m very confident in that because he’s a guy that attacks getting better every day.

“It was a new system for him and I thought he handled it extremely well and I think the sky is the limit for the guy.”

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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