The Arizona Cardinals are already looking toward 2026. After dropping another game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the focus has shifted away from the playoffs and toward the future of their franchise quarterback. Kyler Murray has missed the last six weeks, and based on his head coach’s latest comments, fans shouldn’t expect him back anytime soon.
Will Jonathan Gannon Open Kyler Murray’s Practice Window?
According to ESPN insider Josh Weinfuss, head coach Jonathan Gannon remained tight-lipped when asked about Murray’s potential return from Injured Reserve. “With this coming Wednesday being four weeks since the Cardinals put Kyler Murray on IR, I asked Jonathan Gannon yesterday if the plan was to ope Murray’s window this week. His answer: ‘I’m not sure,’” Weinfuss wrote on X.
With this coming Wednesday being four weeks since the Cardinals put Kyler Murray on IR, I asked Jonathan Gannon yesterday if the plan was to ope Murray’s window this week.
His answer: “I’m not sure.”
— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) December 1, 2025
Arizona hasn’t offered much clarity regarding Murray’s status. The team went from stating he was getting closer to playing to naming Jacoby Brissett the starter and placing Murray on Injured Reserve, all within a matter of days. Reports indicate that he is still dealing with a mild foot strain, but the expectation was that he would have recovered by now.
This timeline has raised doubts about the team’s long-term plans for Murray, despite Gannon’s claim that they remain in constant communication. “I talk to K1 every day. He’s working hard to get healthy; that’s what he’s doing right now. He’s in every meeting. He’s staying, he’s engaged, he’s rehabbing a boatload of time in there, but I know he wants to play,” Gannon said last week, per Sports Illustrated.
In his absence, Brissett has managed the offense efficiently. The veteran signal-caller has completed 67.6% of his passes for 2,188 yards, 13 touchdowns, and four interceptions, while adding 27 carries for 115 yards and a score. He even set an NFL record for the most completions in a game (47) during the loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Notably, Brissett boasts a PFSN impact metric of 75.2, which ranks 19th among quarterbacks this season. Murray sits two spots lower at 75.0.
Given how this situation has unfolded, it appears the Cardinals may be preparing to end the Murray era. They previously handed him a massive five-year contract worth $230.5 million, and his $36.8 million salary for the 2026 campaign is already guaranteed. However, as a former first-round pick, he could still hold trade value. Teams like the Cleveland Browns might look to make a run at him if Arizona decides to move him this offseason.
