5 most disappointing trades in Arizona Cardinals history

Trade for Adrian Murrell in 1998

As a member of the New York Jets in 1996 and 1997, running back Adrian Murrell carried the football 601 times, rushed for 2,335 yards, caught 44 passes, and scored 14 touchdowns.

The Cardinals noticed this impressive production, and shortly before the 1998 NFL Draft, they made a deal with the Jets to acquire Murrell. In order to land the running back, Arizona had to send a 1999 third-round draft pick to New York.

During his first season with the Cardinals. Murrell put up great numbers. He started 14 games for Arizona in 1998 and he accumulated 1,042 rushing yards, 18 catches for 169 yards, and a total of 10 touchdowns.

However, year two in the desert did not go as well for the veteran running back. In 16 games, Murrell averaged just 2.9 yards per carry while rushing for only 553 yards and no touchdowns.

After two seasons with the Cardinals, Murrell landed with the Washington Football Team in 2000 and took a dramatic hit.

So while he was productive in his first year with Arizona, the strenuous workload that he dealt with in his time with the Jets ultimately took a toll on his body.

It’s disappointing that the Cardinals only got to experience one good season from Murrell. With what they gave up in the trade to acquire him, they were expecting him to probably remain with the team for more than just two years.