Ask Odegard: Potential Trade Partners for Kyler Murray

We are about a week away from the season, but judging by this mailbag, everyone is ready to simulate it already and move on to 2024.

If you want speculation, this is the article for you.

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Onto the questions.

What teams would be possible trade partners for Murray? – Dan Lorti

Kyle Odegard: It’s quite early for this question, but screw it, this is your platform, not mine. If the Cardinals do end up with the No. 1 pick and want Caleb Williams, I promise plenty of teams would be interested in trading for Kyler.

His average cap hit for the next five years would be around $38 million, which would be fantastic value for someone of his caliber. 

Who would be interested? Well, it’s a very in-the-moment league, but I counted 12 teams that could at least consider it, depending on how this season goes with their quarterback.

Here is my list, from most likely destination to least:

• Atlanta Falcons
• Minnesota Vikings
• Las Vegas Raiders
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Miami Dolphins
• Tennessee Titans
• Washington Commanders
• Chicago Bears
• New England Patriots
• Detroit Lions
• Seattle Seahawks
• San Francisco 49ers

“Is kyler the future or do you think the cards brass are planning for life after Kyler?” – JE

KO: I truly believe the Cardinals’ brass would be happy to make the current arrangement work. Coach Jonathan Gannon has hit it off with Murray, and the new regime knows the talent its quarterback possesses. 

If Murray returns to previous form and fits well in the offense, I think Monti Ossenfort and Gannon would be happy to build up around him.

Contrary to speculation from an ex-NFL GM, the Cardinals have no plans to sit Kyler Murray all year, per sources.https://t.co/CTCJnXNtQj

— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) August 30, 2023

But I also think they are going to keep an open mind. If they deem Caleb Williams a generational prospect and end up with the No. 1 overall pick, a change could certainly be made. 

We will see how it shakes out, but despite the national perception, I don’t get the sense that the Cardinals’ brass is already planning for life after Kyler.

“With some insightful off-season/pre-season moves, the Cards are positioned to be winners in the draft next year regardless of how they finish this year. Do you think Gannon and Co. are poised to surprise this year or are there too many holes and we are toast already?” – Chalupa Batman

KO: Burnt toast. The roster is astoundingly barren and now Kyler won’t realistically be back until Week 6 or 7 at the earliest. Enjoy searching for 2024 mock drafts in early October.

1a) Could the Cardinals realistically lose a first or second round pick next year as a result of this burner phone saga? 1b) Could Bidwill be forced to sell the team – after a potential suspension, maybe (as a worst case scenario *for him*)? – Roland Sebesty

KO: If they get punished for the burner phone saga, I’d be surprised if it’s anything more than a mid-to-late-round pick. And there is next to no chance that Bidwill is forced to sell the team. These allegations have been terrible for public perception but I don’t think they rise to the level of Dan Snyder’s transgressions, and it took forever for him to go.

Should Michael Bidwill be forced to sell the team as a result of everything this past season, or no? I feel like him selling or backing off the football side completely is the only way we ever really become relevant. – PhillyPhranatic

KO: They were relevant from 2013-16 with Bidwill in charge and they can be again. Would it help if he backed away from the football side? I think so. I would be surprised if that happened, and while he may be a hindrance, I think a good structure in the front office and/or coaching staff can rise above it (like Bruce Arians did.)

If you’re the GM, are you rolling with Kyler for the foreseeable future, or wanting to bring in a new face in next years draft? – Connor Langpap

KO: If Kyler looks like his old self by the end of the year I’d be happy to roll with him, knowing you can trade down and beef up the roster around him. Look at what he did despite Steve Keim’s numerous roster gaffes, and in a college offense not best-suited to his skillset. 

The more things that come out about the old regime, the better Kyler looks for persevering through it for several years. I think there is a ceiling that hasn’t yet been reached, which is an underreported angle, in my opinion.

What’s your floor and ceiling for these first four games? The players have talked at length about the different coaching and culture change and I feel like they’ll surprise people. Can you see them pulling 2-2? Feels like everyone expects them to go 0-4. – Caleb Anderson

KO: Hell, no, they are not going 2-2. Best-case scenario would be a 1-1 start against the Commanders and Giants before the Cowboys and 49ers give the Cardinals the business and drop them to 1-3.

Is there ever a chance that Bidwill would ever sell the team? If some rich billionaire overwhelmed him with an offer maybe? – Suns Fan

KO: I believe Bidwill takes a lot of pride in being an owner and likes the spotlight it gives him. He would be mega-rich either way and selling the team would take away a lot of his purpose. Now, I won’t say for sure that he’d decline if someone offered $8 billion, but I don’t think he will ever sell.

The Cardinals' franchise is now worth $3.8B, which is up about $500M in the past year, according to @Forbes.

The team set an all-time high with $500M in revenue last year and had an operating profit of $83M.

— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) August 31, 2023

Did Keim really step down for health reasons or was he given the option to resign with dignity or get fired? – Joe Shmo

KO: He did step down for personal reasons. Would he have been fired anyway? Almost certainly, yes.

Do you think we will lose a draft pick because of the Keim reports ? – Tino

KO: Probably, but not a high one.

What position group do you personally think will be great, underrated, and just stink through the season? – CardinalsUpdate

KO: The safety group is really the only one that has a chance to be great, although dominant years from Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson still won’t make it an average defense.

The offensive line group could be underrated. D.J. Humphries and Paris Johnston have the potential to be very solid bookends, while Will Hernandez is a good player. The other two spots just need to hold up.

I think the defensive line is going to stink. Too many questions on the interior and the edge.

What’s been the worst article you’ve had to write? Or got cut. Something that made Kyle the person pause before Kyle the reporter had to “do his job – Rader

KO: I don’t think I’ve ever written anything that I’ve felt uncomfortable publishing, thankfully. I would have asked to remove my byline if that ever happened, or refused to write it at all. 

The second part has definitely been the more common scenario. I once spoke to former Cardinals defensive end Josh Mauro about Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the anthem, and the resulting racial animus.

Mauro, who is white with many familial connections to the military, gave a very poignant and educational answer on the subject that I was excited for people to read, but it never saw the light of day. Writing for an NFL team during the George Floyd protests had some obstacles as well.

Who is the next trade candidate from the cardinals? – Sugi Cards

KO: It kind of depends on leaguewide injuries. If the value is there for guys like James Conner, Zach Ertz or Kelvin Beachum, I bet Ossenfort would pull the trigger in a second.

Is Hollywood Brown in the long-term plans? If not, he could be a candidate to go at the trade deadline. Basically anyone on an expiring contract or who won’t be back in 2024.

Any info if Hayes or whiteheart will be back? – Christian Hong

KO: No inside info but it’s fair to assume anyone who made the initial 53 would be wanted for the practice squad.

Was Bidwill ever a jerk to you? – Bulging Twine

KO: Not to me, no.

When do you think they’ll put Larry’s name in the Ring of Honor? – Irene Ashker

KO: That might be up to Larry, but I don’t think either side should do it this year. The crowd is going to be wary from the home opener on and the record is quickly going to go sideways.

Best to wait until 2024 when there is more hope.

DL help coming? – Max Lomax

KO: It’s badly needed, but no, there is no cavalry coming to rescue the defensive line.

Why God? Why am I a Cardinals fan? – Mike

KO: Wrong mailbag but I will forward this to God.