The NFL trade deadline came and went, but it’s never too early to look at potential trades for next year, especially at the quarterback position.
Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa could both use a change of scenery. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if the Cardinals and Dolphins swapped quarterbacks to kick off the 2026 offseason. Drafting a quarterback next year might no longer be the best path because there’s no surefire prospect at the position, and there’s now talk of the ’27 class being better.
Instead of forcing another year with these two inconsistent quarterbacks, the Dolphins and Cardinals should have them trade places and become bridge quarterbacks. And there’s also a good chance that a trade could revive their careers. We’ve seen failed first-round quarterbacks excel after changing teams, from Baker Mayfield to Sam Darnold to now Daniel Jones.
A quarterback swap also worked well for the Rams and Lions back in 2021, when they executed the blockbuster involving Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff.
And I promise this is the last NFL Fact or Fiction this season that mentions Murray and Tagovailoa either being benched or moved. But the last time that occurred, Tagovailoa threw four touchdowns against the Falcons before crashing again the following week against the Ravens.
A Murray-Tagovailoa QB swap makes sense
Manzano’s view: Fact
It’s becoming increasingly likely that Tagovailoa and Murray will headline this upcoming offseason’s quarterback carousel. Tagovailoa has struggled for more than a year now, while Murray might have been quietly demoted by the Cardinals (3–5) this week after Jacoby Brissett was named the starter against the Seahawks.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea for these two quarterbacks to trade places. For all his flaws, Tagovailoa has at least shown that he’s capable enough to get the ball to his playmakers, which Murray has failed to do with second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. On the other side of this scenario, Murray might benefit from a change in coaching philosophy, whether that’s with Mike McDaniel or a different coach in Miami.
It doesn’t bode well for Murray that coach Jonathan Gannon immediately named Brissett the starter for the Week 10 matchup in Seattle. Last week, Gannon waited until the end of the week to make the announcement, giving Murray a chance to prove he’s ready to play after weeks of dealing with an injured foot. Now there’s talk of Murray needing more time to heal, which could also be a nice way of saying the 2019 No. 1 pick isn’t technically being benched.
There was no need to wait because Brissett has given this offense a spark. And if Gannon gets fired, maybe a new coach would prefer to keep Murray. Murray is not a fit for how Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing want to operate on the field.
Now, Murray and Tagovailoa each have lucrative contracts, with plenty of guaranteed money remaining for 2026. With a potential lackluster quarterback class next year, it might be better for these two teams to start one of these veterans next year and take their chances with the ’27 draft class. Contracts get swapped, and the two signal-callers get a fresh start. If it doesn’t work out, both can be released the following offseason.
If the Dolphins aren’t interested, Murray could still have a good amount of suitors because the scouts aren’t high on next year’s draft. The Jets are focused on 2027 after the two splash trades they made on Tuesday, sending Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis and Quinnen Williams to Dallas. Murray’s contract isn’t as big as Tagovailoa’s and his athleticism could add another element to an offense.
For the Dolphins (2–7), they might have to trot out Tagovailoa again until they’re able to move his contract. However, they don’t need to force this partnership another year. And they can call Arizona and ask about Murray.
Bills made a mistake not executing a trade at the deadline
Manzano’s view: Fiction
The Bills (6–2) have drawn some criticism for standing pat at the trade deadline, but they didn’t have many options. All the difference-makers that were dealt on Tuesday came from the Jets, a division rival of the Bills.
It might have cost Buffalo more first-round picks than what Dallas and Indianapolis paid for Williams and Gardner, respectively, to force New York to trade those star players within the AFC East. And it’s hard not to blame the Bills for not being aggressive on a wide receiver after the minimal results they got from the Amari Cooper midseason trade last year.
Rashid Shaheed is a standout playmaker, but his skill set is similar to Khalil Shakir’s. Adding Jakobi Meyers’s versatility would have benefited Buffalo’s offense, but it would have been challenging for the Bills to match what Jacksonville gave up to acquire Meyers. Trading two Day 3 picks was a steep price for maybe a No. 3 or No. 4 pass-catching option in Buffalo—let’s not overlook the quality tight ends that play with Josh Allen.
So it’s not so bad that the Bills are moving forward with the roster GM Brandon Beane constructed in the offseason. The Chiefs, Broncos and Patriots are doing the same. And the Colts are far from being viewed as the heavy favorite in the AFC, even after landing Gardner. It won’t be easy, but the Bills still have a strong chance of finally getting to a Super Bowl with Allen.
Chargers are no longer Super Bowl contenders after losing Joe Alt
Manzano’s view: Fact
It wasn’t an accident that I didn’t mention the Chargers (6–3) in the potential teams the Bills have to worry about in the postseason.
Jim Harbaugh’s team was built around the offensive line, a strong running game and Justin Herbert. Two of those areas will now take a massive hit after Alt sustained a season-ending ankle injury. He’s that important to L.A., and it was noticeable when he missed three consecutive games earlier this season.
Now Herbert has to play at an elite level to get this team into the playoffs and will have to do it with a patchwork offensive line and a short-handed backfield that may not see many sizable running lanes in the coming weeks. However, the trade for versatile offensive lineman Trevor Penning and the return of Omarion Hampton, who’s working his way back from an ankle injury, could help Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
The Chargers still seem like a good bet to make the postseason, but we all saw what a subpar offensive line did for Herbert in last year’s ugly wild-card loss against the Texans.
Browns did the right thing holding onto Myles Garrett
Manzano’s view: Fiction
It would be ironic if the Jets happen to draft the quarterback that the Browns had an eye on next year or in 2027.
The Browns weren’t bold enough to trade Garrett and gain more draft capital to give themselves the best shot at landing a franchise quarterback in the coming years. Now the Jets have the flexibility to move around the draft order to get the quarterback they want because they traded Gardner and Williams at the deadline.
New York woke up and realized it wasn’t going anywhere with those two players and made the sensible decision to trade them and ignite a new rebuild, perhaps a proper one, because teams won’t get far without a franchise quarterback.
The Browns will have only themselves to blame if this latest rebuild doesn’t go anywhere again because other teams drafted the better quarterbacks. But, at least Garrett will get his double-digit sacks for a few more years.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why a Kyler Murray–Tua Tagovailoa QB Swap Makes Sense.