Negative fallout has emerged from the Cardinals’ first playoff berth in six years, centering around Kyler Murray. The former No. 1 overall pick remains part of the Cardinals’ future, but headlines in recent weeks have complicated the quarterback’s offseason.
After a report of acrimony between the fourth-year quarterback and his team, Murray attempted to quiet that noise. But his agent soon sent a extension proposal/mission statement. That arriving two days before the Cards extended Steve Keim and Kliff Kingsbury, who shares an agent with Murray, is unlikely to minimize this storyline.
Nevertheless, the Cards are picking up Murray’s fifth-year option — a fully guaranteed figure that will be north of $25MM due to Murray having made two Pro Bowls. Keim also said he is unconcerned about Murray becoming a holdout if no extension is reached this offseason. Murray’s extension memo certainly puts this on the radar, as do the re-ups for Keim and Kingsbury, but the 10th-year Cards GM declined to comment when asked about the prospect of Murray being extended this offseason, per ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss.
The list of quarterbacks to sign big-ticket extensions before their fourth seasons has become extensive since the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie contracts. Russell Wilson and Ryan Tannehill did so in 2015, while Jared Goff and Carson Wentz inked their deals — pacts their respective teams soon regretted — in 2019. Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson and Josh Allen followed suit in 2020 and ’21, respectively. Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson represent the outliers here. Given this offseason’s developments, Murray may join them by playing a fourth season on his rookie contract.
The dual-threat quarterback waiting until 2023 to strike a deal may not be the worst idea for his earning potential, with the QB market amid a rapid rise over the course of the past four years. Murray, 24, is also coming off a brutal outing in the Cards’ wild-card loss to the Rams. Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill addressed Murray’s extension timetable recently, not ruling out a 2022 summer deal while also calling this process “complicated.” Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer‘s extensions were not in the same ballpark as what Murray will command, putting the Cardinals on new contractual terrain.
The former MLB top-10 pick is set to make just $965K in 2022, though his cap number — as part of a fully guaranteed rookie contract worth more than $35MM — will come in at $11.4MM if no extension is reached. A holdout would be costly for Murray; the 2020 CBA prevents teams from waiving daily fines that come for missing mandatory workouts. Those fines would begin at the Cards’ June minicamp. Players on rookie deals can be fined $40K per each training camp absence. Of course, a Murray holdout would be a more notable development than just about any other player’s considering his unique skillset and importance to his team. That represents the former Heisman winner’s leverage here, if he is intent on securing an extension this year.
Kyler is talented but he’s overrated. He’s not an elite QB yet and doesn’t deserve Mahomes or Allen type money. Those guys have accomplished a lot more than Kyler has.
With better coaches, better supporting casts, and—respectively—two and one more years in the league to do it. Allen is a better all around QB than Murray, but it’s not like Allen’s early seasons were all glory.
Bring in trubisky or Mariota to run the offense better.
He will get the Dak Prescott treatment and be franchised twice.
The difference is, Prescott never blamed his teammates for failing to win.
Keim will have a another drink to that.
A no-brainer from an economic sense, but that playoff performance certainly casts some doubt on whether he is a guy that can lead this team to the Super Bowl.
This is the right move for Arizona. If he is worth the money he will show it next year. If he does a holdout or any more off the field nonsense then they will be smart not giving him the money as that is not how a franchise QB behaves.
I guess I could see an argument for holding out on a franchise tag or in the final year of a contract for a likely to be cut player (though I’m generally uneasy with it), but a holdout for a franchise QB (or potential franchise QB) on his rookie deal seems unnecessary. Unless Murray is truly trying to leave, that is.
Normally a franchise wouldn’t let a number one overall pick walk, especially not a quarterback, but given what Arizona to rebuild their entire organization around Murray, there is just no chance that they would do so. Murray has to know that they will try to extend him. Building up ill will by missing offseason activities at his age seems unnecessary, especially for a guy who played as disappointingly as he did towards the end of the year. He has not done so yet, though, so hopefully he will show up and generate some momentum for himself going forward. And hopefully his GM will get his act together to do so the same.