Packers could provide Kyler Murray the perfect platform to recreate the magic that defined his college football rise
It’s the ideal scenario for Green Bay.
Kyler Murray is willing to take short-term risks to have long-term rewards, and that may be good news for the Green Bay Packers.
Set to be released by the Arizona Cardinals, the former first overall pick will still receive $36.8 million guaranteed from his original team. Because the contract has offset language, whatever Kyler makes on his new team will reduce the amount from the Cardinals. That means Murray, a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, will play in 2026 on a veteran minimum deal.
There are intriguing options for him to potentially be a starter, like the Minnesota Vikings or Miami Dolphins, but a different path could include the Packers.
Rebuilding his value
Kyler Murray started his college football career at Texas A&M, but he was a backup to Kyle Allen for most of the season. So he decided to transfer to Oklahoma, where Baker Mayfield was already an established starter with two years of eligibility left.
Murray had to sit in 2016 due to NCAA transfer rules at the time, but he was the true backup in 2017. He became the starter in his final college season, playing at a high level — which led to Murray being the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The idea of signing with the Packers would have the same premise. Just like Malik Willis did to a certain extent, Murray would spend some time behind Jordan Love and under head coach Matt LaFleur. After that, he would hit free agency again in 2027 under different circumstances.
Sure, playing right now is understandable. But spending a year getting better in a great offensive environment would lead Murray to hit the market and choose his next destination with a long-term approach. In 2026, anyone would just sign him to a one-year, veteran minimum deal, while next offseason he can generate a real commitment from a team.
Recently, ESPN insider Adam Schefter mentioned that “for guys like Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa, Green Bay is appealing.”
For the Packers, it would be a perfect scenario. They would have a top backup option in 2026, and when Kyler signed a new deal with another team in 2027, the Packers would be set to receive a high compensatory draft pick in 2028.
Backup QB job
The Packers are set to lose Malik Willis in free agency after two seasons of high-level backup play. Right now, the quarterbacks behind Jordan Love on the depth chart are Desmond Ridder, signed by the Packers late last season, and Kyle McCord, who signed a future deal with Green Bay after spending his rookie year with the Philadelphia Eagles.
While Ridder has starting experience and McCord is a prospect with decent upside, getting a backup like Kyler Murray, who has real top-15 QB abilities, for the veteran minimum would be a huge win for the Packers — and it could be a smart long-term play by the quarterback as well.
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