Cardinals fans are fed up with mediocrity. The team hasn't won a playoff game since 2015, and they've posted just one winning season in that stretch.
When a franchise struggles for this long, much of the blame tends to fall on the quarterback. There is often little grace for a passer who fails to bring playoff success to their team. Kyler Murray has been no exception.
The 2025 season is do or die for Kyler Murray
Murray was drafted with the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Since then, he has been one of the most polarizing players in the league.
Murray's short frame and creative play style make him unlike any other quarterback in the NFL. He can create highlight plays out of nothing. Much to the dismay of fans and coaches, though, he is also capable of making infuriating mistakes.
Back in 2022, Murray signed a five-year, $230 million contract extension with over $150 million guaranteed. The deal made Murray one of the highest-paid players in league history. It also locked the Cardinals into the rollercoaster that comes with his style of play.
While Kyler Murray has been a competent quarterback for the Cardinals, capable of taking over in key moments, he has not yet lived up to his contract. He is capable of elite play, but he's lacked the consistency necessary to string wins together, especially late in the season.
With each passing season, moving on from Kyler Murray becomes more realistic for the Arizona Cardinals. If Murray fails to live up to expectations again in 2025, Arizona will have a difficult decision to make.
The Arizona Cardinals must build around Kyler Murray in the 2025 NFL Draft
No, Kyler Murray has not lived up to the typical expectations set on a highly-drafted quarterback. But he hasn't been set up to succeed.
For most of Murray's career, the Cardinals roster has played at a significant talent deficit on both sides of the ball. Since general manager Monti Ossenfort arrived in 2023, Arizona has finally begun to build the foundations of a competitive roster.
This offseason, the Cardinals have poured resources into the defensive front seven. Big-name signings like Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Calais Campbell have reshaped the identity of Arizona's defense.
Conversely, the Cardinals have largely neglected the offense in free agency. They have failed to address needs on the offensive line and at wide receiver.
If Arizona expects Kyler Murray to establish himself as a top-ten quarterback in 2025, they must use significant draft capital to support him. Whether that means selecting an interior offensive lineman early or finding a third receiving option in the middle rounds, the offense cannot continue to be ignored.
The future of this franchise is dependent on the success of its quarterback. In order to determine whether that quarterback should be Kyler Murray, the Cardinals need to put him in the best possible situation.