Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray trade to Minnesota Vikings in 2024 NFL mock draft slammed

Every now and then an NFL mock draft can really make you turn your head.

The latest 2024 NFL mock draft from ESPN's Mike Tannenbaum could be giving readers whiplash.

Tannenbaum, a former NFL GM, has the Cardinals taking Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy with the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL draft.

Wow.

He's not done, however. Tannenbaum also has Arizona trading QB Kyler Murray to the Minnesota Vikings.

Wow times 1000?

Tannenbaum wrote of the Cardinals' pick of McCarthy: "Look, QB availability is crucial in today's NFL -- 66 passers started at least one game last season -- and Kyler Murray hasn't played a full season since 2020. I really like McCarthy's long-term upside. The 21-year-old averaged 9 yards per attempt and completed 72.3% of his throws last season, and he bulked up to 219 pounds at the combine. In short, I think he's a better, younger and more durable quarterback than Murray right now, and I'm not passing up this chance. You might point to Murray's contract (which includes $35.3 million guaranteed for 2024 and $29.9 million guaranteed for 2025), but teams routinely eat substantial dead money these days for a better opportunity at the position. And besides, I think the Cardinals could get a first-round pick back in exchange for him -- stay tuned there, I might have something up my sleeve."

NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals pass on Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024 NFL Draft

The something up Tannenbaum's sleeve in the mock draft?

He has Arizona getting the No. 11 pick in the draft, while sending Murray and the No. 66 overall pick to the Vikings.

His explanation?

"I drafted J.J. McCarthy at No. 4 to take over under center for Arizona, so Murray becomes a trade candidate, and Minnesota is still searching for QB answers after missing out on the top four passers in the class," Tannenbaum writes. "I don't love the scheme fit for Oregon's Bo Nix in Minnesota, and it's too early for Washington's Michael Penix Jr. So here's my proposition to clear some cap space for the Cards, officially start the McCarthy era in Arizona and fix the Vikings' QB issue. In my mind, the No. 11 pick for Murray straight up is too rich, and No. 23 -- Minnesota's other first-rounder -- on its own is not enough. So I'm attaching that third-rounder to level this out. It's similar to what the Cardinals did during the 2022 draft, when they traded their first-round pick (No. 23) to Baltimore for receiver Marquise Brown and a third-rounder. From the Vikings' standpoint, everything I said earlier about Murray's durability still matters, but he's cheaper and younger than Kirk Cousins would have been to re-sign and gives them a chance to compete this season rather than rebuild."

Tannenbaum doubled down on his take on social media with a post about why the Cardinals should draft McCarthy and trade Murray.

More: Arizona Cardinals 'quadruple down' on Kyler Murray social media promotion after criticism

The post was not received well, with many slamming the proposition and citing the mock draft and mock trade as evidence for why Tannenbaum is a former NFL GM.

Social media slammed the Kyler Murray trade proposal in the 2024 NFL mock draft:

Totally not happening, right?

More: Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray turns heads with Aaron Donald, Marquise Brown posts

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals trade Kyler Murray in 2024 NFL mock draft stunner