Cardinals urged to trade for former first-round pick to replace Kyler Murray
· Yahoo Sports
Cardinals urged to trade for former first-round pick to replace Kyler Murray originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Let's be honest here- the Arizona Cardinals are not in a great spot this offseason.
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The team had another miserable season in 2025, and as a result, moved on from quarterback Kyler Murray and head coach Jonathan Gannon. Now, the team is preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft and desperately trying to find some direction going forward.
Finding a new quarterback should be the team's priority, but that won't be easy. The team has the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but this draft class is historically thin at quarterback. As a result, there likely won't be a quarterback worth taking at No. 3.
Of course, the Cardinals could just roll with Jacoby Brissett in 2026 or draft a rookie in a later round. But, what if they decide to make a bold move instead? Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports recently identified a logical trade target for the Cardinals- quarterback Anthony Richardson.
NFL insider suggests Cardinals trade for Anthony Richardson
Richardson was a first-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts back in 2023. The hope was that the passer would be the future in Indy, but due to injuries and inconsistency, things haven't gone that way.
The Colts now have Daniel Jones, so Richardson seems to be expendable. Regarding Richardson and the Cardinals, Vacchiano offered the following:
Why not take a low-risk flier on the former first-round pick with a big body (6-4, 244), huge arm and untapped potential? The Cards have veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew as place-holders at quarterback until the 2027 draft, but Richardson would give new coach Mike LaFleur, a Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan disciple, a young player to try and develop.
Vacchiano suggested the Cardinals send a 2026 seventh-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. If that's truly all it would take to land Richardson, then there's no reason why the Cardinals shouldn't do this.
Richardson is still just 23 and could potentially thrive in a new setting. The quarterback only appeared in two games in 2025, but he received 11 starts in 2024 and showed some flashes.
In 2024, Richardson threw for 1,814 yards with eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Florida product also rushed for 499 yards and six touchdowns, showing off the dual-threat ability that made teams like him in the first place.
At this point, the Cardinals don't have much to lose. Richardson may never live up to expectations, but 2026 will likely be a lost season anyways. Best-case scenario, you get a starting quarterback for cheap for the next few seasons.
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