Mock Trade: Arizona Cardinals send Kyler Murray to the AFC for a first-round pick and more

Cardinals acquire a first-round pick, plus…

You already know the Arizona Cardinals are getting a first-round pick here from a team on the verge of serious contention like the Steelers. In this mock trade, they are also getting a second-rounder in 2024, and another second in 2025, plus a young player who would fulfill a position of need for the Redbirds.

Looking at the Steelers roster, someone like defensive end DeMarvin Leal would fill the void, so we will tack him on, completing a blockbuster trade involving Murray plus a fifth-round pick going to the Steelers while the Cards acquire draft assets and a potential future starter in Leal.

This trade would still require work from both franchises, as the Steelers, mentioned a few times already, would be required to do some additional work to get under the cap by bringing in an asset like Murray. At the same time, the Cards would be committing themselves to another year of an uneventful free agency sans scooping up rentals and cast-offs thanks to the dead cap. 

However, it also works for both teams’ long-term goals as Murray is much better equipped than Pickett to help turn the Steelers into Super Bowl contenders while the Cards are still at least a year away from even contending with the San Francisco 49ers or Seattle Seahawks, so trading Murray gives them another year to better identify their core while further ridding themselves of the Steve Keim guys. 

(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference, contract information provided by Spotrac)