Somebody give me a comprehensive plan.

[Harry]

Can’t wait. I’m honestly feeling despair. I’m 71 and have given up on seeing a Super Bowl. The hopes of seeing a playoff game are fading fast.

I’m 77 so hang in there

 

[Harry]

I have no idea what the trade market might look like for Kyler. He is such a non-traditional QB that there will be teams that prefer signing Mac Jones to trading for Kyler.

Cap makes this move improbable

 

[Harry]

Agreed. Also, Darnold gets to decide where he wants to go. He has done the playing for an awful franchise thing before and he has money. While I am not saying I think he would turn 10 mil more per year to play for a non-awful team, I don't think teams are going to spend 50 mil on him. People are seeing what it looks like when you spend 45 mil on Cousins. Darnold is not that, but I do think 40 mil is probably the top end of his market.

I think he stays in Minn

 

[Gandhi]

Well sure, if cut before June 1st 2025 there will be ZERO cap hit in 2026. But there will be a big hit in 2025.

If cut AFTER 2025 but before 2026 there will be a relatively small hit in 2026.

I fully get that you want Murray gone before 2025 - I just don't think that would fit Bidwill's M.O.

It would be shocking if they simply released him. Trading is the only option, in my mind, and it would be beneficial to Michael Bidwill. The salary cap is just an accounting tool, so that doesn’t matter in regard to Bidwill’s wallet, but what does matter is that he will save nearly 12 million in cash by trading him now. If they do not trade him before the next league year, Bidwill will be on the hook for more than 39 million in guaranteed cash in 2026.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

It would be shocking if they simply released him. Trading is the only option, in my mind, and it would be beneficial to Michael Bidwill. The salary cap is just an accounting tool, so that doesn’t matter in regard to Bidwill’s wallet, but what does matter is that he will save nearly 12 million in cash by trading him now. If they do not trade him before the next league year, Bidwill will be on the hook for more than 39 million in guaranteed cash in 2026.

All of us K1 superfans will therefore be holding our breath until March 12th, 2025 Gandhi!

 

[Gandhi]

All of us K1 superfans will therefore be holding our breath until March 12th, 2025 Gandhi!

I am sorry to give bad news, CW, but you will have to not breathe a little longer. The clause gets triggered on the 5th day of the league year, so 17th of March.

Merry Christmas, though!

 

[Crimson Warrior]

I am sorry to give bad news, CW, but you will have to not breathe a little longer. The clause gets triggered on the 5th day of the league year, so 17th of March.

Merry Christmas, though!

Ha! You are the man Gandhi and one of the reasons I love this board so much! Thank you so much and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!

 

[Crimson Warrior]

And a QB that can get the ball to them.

Ha! What's the line from Shakespeare that K1 should trot out about now? "From the depths of hell, I stab at thee?"

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays Stout!

 

[WisconsinCard]

The real plan most likely is to keep K1 and build the best defense possible. Just keep the leash on Kyler and try and get him to be Trent Dilfer.

That would mean spending most of their resources on defense. I don't see a WR that can stretch the field being that beneficial unless he's just a decoy. So basically we need Aaron Donald, Terrell Suggs, JJ Watt, and Aeneas Williams (all in their prime) all in one free agency and one draft.

 

[WisconsinCard]

The real plan most likely is to keep K1 and build the best defense possible. Just keep the leash on Kyler and try and get him to be Trent Dilfer.

That would mean spending most of their resources on defense. I don't see a WR that can stretch the field being that beneficial unless he's just a decoy. So basically we need Aaron Donald, Terrell Suggs, JJ Watt, and Aeneas Williams (all in their prime) all in one free agency and one draft.

Would be nice to have a Carlos Dansby/ Ray lewis type in there too. While I got my thinking/wish hat on.

 

[BritCard]

I've seen that written here multiple times, but I'm not sure how that could work.

According to this page:

Plus, I'm skeptical that any team would trade for Murray, given his current contact.

I'm going off what OTC says. They have trade and cut options with different dead money.

 

[Chopper0080]

I think he stays in Minn

The only way I think that happens is if they make the Super Bowl. Maybe you could talk me into them keeping him if they made the NFC Champ. They love McCarthy and will want to take full advantage of his rookie deal.

 

[Chopper0080]

Cap makes this move improbable

I think it has less to do with decreasing their cap by 15 mil and more to do with eating 58 mil in dead money along with a lack of "better" options.

Why I don't buy the "cap" argument is that the Cardinals currently have 95 mil in cap space for 2025. Cutting Kyler reduces that by 15 mil. "Only" having 80 mil in cap space is not detrimental to football operations. Trading Kyler actually frees up 15 mil so it is a 30 mil flip.

 

[Stout]

Ha! What's the line from Shakespeare that K1 should trot out about now? "From the depths of hell, I stab at thee?"

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays Stout!

I think you're quoting Moby Dick

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you as well, my friend!

 

[Russ Smith]

Matt Maioco wrote an article on the 49ers needs for next year. Interesting in it he says if you follow PFF, the 49ers have the best run blocking and 14th best pass blocking OL in the NFL. If you talk to people around the team, coaches etc, they consider OL to be the biggest problem the team had this year beyond obviously all the injuries. 49er insiders think they realistically need an upgrade at 4 of the 5 OL positions on the roster. I've heard before they tried to move up last year to get Alt and didn't have enough to do it so that rings true.

He also said there are some in the organization who think they need to move on from Purdy not give him a big extension but most think there were just so many issues at RB and Wr with injuries and holdouts that it took its' toll on Purdy.

So the good news, we're not the only team unsettled at QB and beyond in our division, the bad news I suspect the other teams are better equipped to draft and sign solutions than we are. We have more cap room but haven't been very good with it.

I sure hope D Rob pans out we desperately need him to be good so have at least one impact guy up front before the draft

 

[daves]

I'm going off what OTC says. They have trade and cut options with different dead money.

Ah! I see the trade options now. Still don't understand why the impact would be different from a release, but I trust OTC.

 

[kerouac9]

Ah! I see the trade options now. Still don't understand why the impact would be different from a release, but I trust OTC.

Because there’s guaranteed salary attached to Kyler’s contract. Michael Bidwill will not pay someone to not play football. That’s why the Colt McCoy saga lasted as long as it did.

Michael doesn’t mind accounting for money already paid. He does not like paying for guaranteed salary for someone not to work.

 

[gmabel830]

Raise ticket prices.
Don’t spend to the cap.
Profit.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Because there’s guaranteed salary attached to Kyler’s contract. Michael Bidwill will not pay someone to not play football. That’s why the Colt McCoy saga lasted as long as it did.

Michael doesn’t mind accounting for money already paid. He does not like paying for guaranteed salary for someone not to work.

Colt McCoy… good lord. This team really tried to convince people it gave ANY ish about winning by pumping him as our legit opening day starter… who’d probably man the position for half of the season.

Laid some REAL solid foundation there in Year 1. And next year they’re going to sell us… again… on Kyler being the man to lead us to the playoffs… in Year 3.

Whatever “foundation” this team is building/has built has come on quicksand.

 

[kerouac9]

Colt McCoy… good lord. This team really tried to convince people it gave ANY ish about winning by pumping him as our legit opening day starter… who’d probably man the position for half of the season.

Laid some REAL solid foundation there in Year 1. And next year they’re going to sell us… again… on Kyler being the man to lead us to the playoffs… in Year 3.

Whatever “foundation” this team is building/has built has come on quicksand.

I think the team was sending every available message that Colt was cooked. They had to roll is corpse out there in Minnesota to convince Michael he had zero left in the tank.

I don’t think Monti and Gannon understood how washed McCoy was until training camp opened. To me, that’s among the least of their sins.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Well sure, if cut before June 1st 2025 there will be ZERO cap hit in 2026. But there will be a big hit in 2025.

If cut AFTER 2025 but before 2026 there will be a relatively small hit in 2026.

I fully get that you want Murray gone before 2025 - I just don't think that would fit Bidwill's M.O.

Yeah I don’t think it does it either. I just want the cleanest 2026 cap possible.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Denver is taking an $85M cap hit for releasing Wilson - $53M this year plus another $32M in 2025.

Per OTC, if the Cardinals release Murray pre June 1st 2025, there would be a $58M dead cap charge and a $43M cap savings on his salary, for a net impact of -$15M. (In other words, releasing him would cost $15M more on the cap than keeping him).

If they designated him as a post June 1 cut, there would be a $40M dead cap charge in 2025, and $18M in 2025. They'd save Murray's $43M salary in 2025 and come out $3M ahead, and WAY ahead in 2026 with Murray's $53M salary off the books.

If they cut Murray pre June 1 2026, they'd have "only" an $18M dead cap charge and a net savings of $35M in 2026.

Thank you. Cut murray and designated as post June 1. You’ve convinced me.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

There is no QB in this draft worth taking. Unfortunately.

Agreed. Build everything else. Get your QB in 2026.

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

With the 100 million in cap space, I think this is the year to swing for the fences on the defensive side of the ball. Our 2 top coaches (Gannon and Rallis) are defensive guys, so go get them some defensive firepower. I would revisit trade possibilities (Micah Parsons, Jeffery Simmons, Myles Garrett) and try to put the Philly edge guys (Reddick and Sweat) back together with Gannon. The most realistic trade option is Simmons as Tennessee is in major reload and they have a good rookie in the big kid from Texas. Sign Reddick to a short term prove it deal and give Sweat the big money. Then go draft the Harmon kid from Oregon or Nolan from Ol Miss.

 

[cardncubfan]

The answer is honestly to dump Kyler, sign Darnold, and continue upgrading the roster. There is no reason to believe Darnold can't at least match Kyler's production this year. His contract is probably 3yrs, 120 mil (max). Maybe you can trade Kyler somewhere which would ease the contract sting.

Of the options that Darnold would have if he hit FA, have to think the Cardinals look like one of the more competitive opportunities. if the Cardinals decide to draft a QB in the near future, they have the cap space to move n from Darnold.

I remember when Josh Dobbs looked good at QB with the Vikings for several games. I think there may be a reason Darnold was on a few teams prior. I'm just not sure he'll be better than Kyler. Right now KM is probably in the middle of the pack in NFL qb's 15 or 16. You can win with a qb like that.