New coaching staffs often want to pick their own quarterback. With the Arizona Cardinals hiring Mike LaFleur, there is likely to be a change in the QB room as well.
Kyler Murray is already rumored to be available via trade (though he would prefer to be released). Meanwhile, Jacoby Brissett is coming off a career year, meaning Arizona could take advantage of his superior trade value by making a high trade for either. Or they could see if he achieves an elevated level of performance in Arizona, and just roll with Brissett for another season at the low cost of $9.1 million.
Either way, if the Cardinals move on from Murray, they will need to add another quarterback to the roster, and it would be ideal to have an insurance policy in case Brissett doesn't find continued success. Still, the new coaching staff may already have another QB in mind.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Cardinals are interested in signing two-time Super Bowl champion Jimmy Garoppolo.
"Free agent Jimmy Garoppolo going to Arizona is also a strong option. The Cardinals are interested, and Mike LaFleur is considered very close with Garoppolo. 'He's his guy,' a league source said. LaFleur could create a clean path to revamping his quarterback room by adding at least one veteran and drafting a QB. That makes Murray and Brissett expendable, and the feeling in Indy is that Murray wants out of Arizona Something to keep in mind with Garoppolo: He has one of the league's best QB2 jobs with the Rams, who also has an option to join Green Bay as the No. 2 pick.
Jimmy Garoppolo on ESPN
Garoppolo is now 34 years old, but he has gone 42-21 as a starter, making him a very capable fill-in starter if needed. Either way, it's clear that LaFleur, who coached Garoppolo for four seasons in San Francisco and two seasons in Los Angeles, would be comfortable keeping him as his QB in Arizona.
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