Who Should I Start? Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy

Saturday, November 8, 10:56 AM

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (foot) could be traded or released next offseason as his future with the team is in limbo, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Murray maintained a 68.1 percent completion rate with 962 passing yards, 173 rushing yards, seven total touchdowns, and four turnovers through the first five games this season. He then missed three games due to injury, and his absence was extended even further this week as Arizona placed him on injured reserve. Although Murray is sidelined due to injury, there has been some speculation about whether he would have still been benched for Jacoby Brissett even if healthy. Regardless of the behind-the-scenes details, Schefter's report paints a clear picture of a potential separation between the Cardinals and their former No. 1 overall selection. Arizona must make a decision on his future by the fifth day of the 2026 league year next March, when an additional $19.5 million becomes guaranteed. The team's options are to release him, keep him, or try to find a trade partner that is willing to take on the final two years of his expensive contract. One source told Schefter that "separation is imminent" between the two parties, but there's still plenty of time for that sentiment to change between now and March. In the meantime, it'll be Brissett under center for the Cardinals.

Monday, November 17, 6:09 PM

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell isn't considering benching second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy at all as he continues to develop after missing all of his rookie season due to a knee injury. When asked if there was a level of performance that would lead him to make a change at QB during a game, O'Connell said he was "not going to get into any of that right now." "There's what's best for the young quarterback, what's best for our offense, what's best for our team," O'Connell said when asked about balancing McCarthy's development with trying to win enough games to make the playoffs. "That's my job to manage all those things, and I've got to do a better job of that." The 22-year-old struggled for most of the Week 11 loss to the Bears on Sunday and has gone 50-for-99 with five interceptions in three starts since returning from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 2. The Vikes are going to live and die with McCarthy's growing pains the rest of the year, and fantasy managers will be in the same boat.