Grade the pitch: Jaguars shockingly dubbed trade destination for Kyler Murray

Not long after Kyler Murray landed on Injured Reserve, questions quickly emerged about his future with the Arizona Cardinals. And while the first overall pick in 2019 hasn't turned out to be their long-term answer at center, he could certainly help teams in need of help at the quarterback position. The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't probably one of them due to the presence of Trevor Lawrence.

However, that hasn't stopped an NFL analyst from seeing the Jags as a potential trade destination for Murray in 2026. This begs the question, would they really make a run for him next year? And more importantly, what would it cost to get him?

The Jaguars dubbed a fun destination for Kyler Murray

Ian Hartitz of Fantasy Live put together a list of potential destinations for Murray and included the Jags, calling them a "fun" landing spot for the seventh-year quarterback. Keep in mind that this is an opinion rather than a report.

The issue is that Hartitz doesn't take a look at the implications of the trade, and doesn't make it clear whether the Jags would bring in Murray as the backup or outright move on from Trevor Lawrence. If it's the former scenario, he would be great, but it's hard to imagine him willingly taking on a backup role at this stage of his career. As a matter of fact, plenty of teams surely see him as a high-floor starter despite his inconsistencies.

Say what you want about Murray, but he's most definitely been frustrating to watch at times. There's been a lot of chatter about his work ethic, or lack thereof. However, he's shown at a high level, and due to the demand at quarterback, he could have a robust market if available.

The Jaguars would have to pay a steep price to trade for Kyler Murray

On the other hand, pulling the plug on Trevor Lawrence to pave the way for Kyler Murray would be highly unlikely because of the cost involved. From the get-go, releasing him wouldn't make sense. A trade would be the best course of action to move on from No. 16, as it would allow the Jags to amass draft picks, which they would need if they made a run for Murray.

Now, trading Lawrence in 2026 would accelerate a cap charge and leave $80 million in dead money. Jacksonville would then have to pay the Cardinals for Murray and take on his salary.

Moe Moton of Bleacher Report thinks it would take multiple first-round picks to trade for Kyler Murray, and the Jags are already without one in 2026. Simply, it wouldn't be feasible to make a run for him if they want to address other, more immediate needs.

Murray has manageable cap hits of $22.8 million and $19.5 million in 2026 and 2027, so he can most definitely fit in the Jags' budget. On the other hand, it's hard to tell just how much better Jacksonville would truly get with him under center. Lawrence hasn't been great this season, but could get hot in the second half of the season. If that's what ends up happening, it's hard to see the team's brass moving on from him.

Furthermore, the Jaguars may hold onto Lawrence until 2026 and truly give him a chance to show he can play at a top-10 level if given the time.

Now, nobody should rule out the possibility of the Jaguars moving on from Trevor Lawrence in an effort to solidify the quarterback position. However, trading for Kyler Murray is probably not a realistic path. A more realistic alternative would be to turn to the draft to find his potential heir apparent.

Grade: F