Joe Schobert, Takk McKinley Take Visits
July 31: McKinley had a “positive visit” with the Cowboys but will not be signing with Dallas at this time, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter). The UCLA product always planned to take multiple visits, and he will now head off to a workout with the Cardinals. Arizona lost Chandler Jones to free agency this offseason, and while the club added two edge defenders in the third round of this year’s draft (Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders), having a more experienced option as part of the rotation may not be a bad idea.
July 30: Two of the top available defensive free agents reportedly took visits today. In two separate tweets ESPN’s Field Yates announced that linebacker Joe Schobert had visited the Broncos and defensive end Takkarist McKinley had tried out for the Cowboys. 
Schobert is an experienced linebacker who lined up as a middle linebacker during his tenures with the Browns and Jaguars then gained some experience as an outside linebacker with the Steelers last year. Since he became a full-time starter in his sophomore season, Schobert has been a tackling machine, never failing to amass at least 100 total tackles. During his second season in Cleveland, Schobert even led the league in tackles with 144. He’s shown an ability to get in the backfield over the years, totaling 23.0 tackles for loss, 26 quarterback hits, and 11.0 sacks, and has a propensity for forcing turnovers with 10 interceptions, 30 passes defensed, and 10 forced fumbles over his six-year career.
Denver has been shuffling around it’s linebackers this offseason including moving Baron Browning, who started inside for the Broncos last year, to outside linebacker. It vastly increased the outside linebacker depth behind star Bradley Chubb with the additions of free agent Randy Gregory and rookie second-round pick Nik Bonitto adding to the depth of Browning and Malik Reed, who were already there. Those moves resulted in a bit of a vacuum behind starting inside linebackers Alex Singleton and Josey Jewell. Schobert would be an excellent addition to the inside linebacker depth in Denver, while having the versatility to contribute on the outside if needed, as well.
McKinley is much more of a pass rusher than Schobert, collecting 20.0 sacks, 25.0 tackles for loss, and 53 quarterback hits during a four-year tenure in Atlanta and a year in Cleveland. What’s limited McKinley is that he doesn’t offer much more on defense. He can impose his presence at the line of scrimmage and influence plays, but he doesn’t tend to get to the ball-carrier often, owning a career-high of only 29 total tackles in a season. He’s also shown less of an impact as of late. After recording 13.0 sacks in his first two seasons, McKinley has only tallied 7.0 in the three years since.
McKinley is a former-first round pick of Cowboys defensive coordinator (and former Atlanta head coach) Dan Quinn. The familiarity with Quinn’s system, in which he’s shown the most productivity, could help him land a roster spot. Besides his previous relationship with Quinn, McKinley faces an uphill battle to make the roster as the Cowboys are already fairly stacked at defensive end. Dallas brought in Dante Fowler to start opposite DeMarcus Lawrence and drafted Ole Miss single-season sack record-holder Sam Williams in the second round. McKinley could potentially attempt to provide an improvement above backups Tarell Basham, Dorance Armstrong, and Chauncey Golston, but those three were all with the team last year and will have to be unseated.
Word will likely arrive in the coming days determining if either Schobert or McKinley will get an opportunity with a new team. If not, the two veterans will remain top names to keep track of on the defensive free agent market.
Cardinals Add Defensive Line Depth For Camp
Arizona brought in some veteran bodies on the defensive line for camp this preseason. The team made the announcement on their website that they have signed Antwaun Woods and Christian Ringo. 
The Cardinals felt the need to bring in some experienced players at the position due to the high rotation-rate and youth at the position. With J.J. Watt likely to see little playing time in the preseason going into his 12th NFL season, Arizona’s defensive line is riddled with young players like Rashard Lawrence (23), Zach Allen (24), Cameron Thomas (22), Leki Fotu (23), Kingsley Keke (25), Michael Dogbe (26), and Jonathan Ledbetter (24). Woods (29) and Ringo (30) can add some of the experience and leadership that is missing with Watt (33) on the sideline.
Woods came into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Titans. After only making one appearance in two years in Tennessee, Woods was released with an injury settlement before signing a two-year contract with Dallas. Woods immediately became a starter in the Cowboys defense as a 1-technique defensive tackle. Woods would start 32 games for the Cowboys over the next three years, losing some playing time to injuries and some starts in the third year to free agent addition Dontari Poe. When the Cowboys drafted three defensive lineman in the 2021 NFL Draft, Woods was waived. Woods signed with the Colts for last year but spent most of the season on the practice squad or injured.
Ringo doesn’t nearly have the starting experience Woods does, but has lots of experience learning new systems. Since being drafted by the Packers in 2015, Ringo has spent time with the Bengals, Lions, Cowboys, and Saints, not to mention a short stint in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before the season was canceled due to COVID-19. This is technically a reunion, as Ringo’s month-and-a-half stint with the Cowboys overlapped with Woods’ tenure in Dallas. Up until last year, Ringo’s career had been that of a rotational reserve, but, after signing with the Saints for the 2021 season, Ringo earned his first four starts and appeared in a career-high 14 games.
Both players are 300+ lb. interior lineman who will take some preseason snaps off of the shoulders of players that Arizona would like to keep fresh going into the regular season. If they show flashes of their most productive NFL stretches, they could find their way onto the final 53-man roster and contribute to the Cardinals’ 2022 season.
In order to make room for Woods and Ringo on the roster, Arizona released tight end David Wells and defensive end Matt Dickerson. Wells had appeared in three games (one start) last year for the Cardinals and Dickerson hasn’t played since he was with the Titans in the 2020 season.
Kyler Murray Addresses Independent Study Contract Clause
8:15pm: And like that, the clause is no more. Rapoport tweets that the Cardinals have removed the “independent study” clause in Murray’s contract.
“After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract,” the Cardinals said in a statement (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter). “It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it’s ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in this contract.”
1:25pm: In making Kyler Murray the NFL’s second-highest-paid quarterback, the Cardinals included an independent study clause in his contract. The strange inclusion mandates the fourth-year passer watch at least four hours of film on his own per week during the season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Understandably, this unusual mandate has generated more attention than the five-year, $230.5MM deal itself. Addressing this matter Thursday, Murray said questions about his film-study habits are “disrespectful” and “almost a joke,” via CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (all Twitter links).
“There’s multiple different ways to watch film. Of course we all watch film. That doesn’t need to be questioned,” Murray said, before declining to answer questions related to the film clause. “I refuse to let my work ethic and my preparation be in question. I’ve put in an incomprehensible amount of time in what I do, whether it’s football or baseball.”
Murray himself has admitted in the past he is unlikely to be a top-tier film studier among quarterbacks, making comments to the New York Times about his habits. Given his importance to the franchise, this December 2021 stance may well have been a factor for the Cardinals during their offseason negotiations.
“I think I was blessed with the cognitive skills to just go out there and just see it before it happens,” Murray said, via NYT’s Ben Shpigel, last year. “I’m not one of those guys that’s going to sit there and kill myself watching film. I don’t sit there for 24 hours and break down this team and that team and watch every game because, in my head, I see so much.”
The two-time Pro Bowler declined to say if he was mad about this film-study component of his contract, but the Cardinals going so far as to include it their highest-profile extension reveals at least some level of hesitancy about the dual-threat passer’s commitment. This is not the first piece of atypical language in a Murray contract. His rookie deal protected the Cardinals against a return to baseball, a sport he was ticketed to play — as a top-10 Oakland Athletics draftee — before his 2018 Heisman-winning season changed his career course. That transition has now led to Murray securing a monster extension — one featuring $104.3MM guaranteed at signing.
It is certainly interesting that, despite the reports of the acrimony between the fourth-year QB and the Cardinals dying down, Murray has needed to address this matter after the team made this financial commitment. Generally, talk of discontent between player and team recedes in the wake of big-ticket extension agreements. But it is clear Murray, who has followed up fast starts with suboptimal end-of-season stretches in each of his Pro Bowl years, will struggle to distance himself from this story. The Cardinals, who have never authorized a contract remotely close to this neighborhood, stand to be regularly tied to this language as well.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: Antwaun Woods
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Henry Black
- Waived: TE Brayden Lenius
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: RB Jacques Patrick
- Placed on IR: RB Elijah Holyfield
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR KaVontae Turpin
- Released: FB Nick Ralston
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OT Darrin Paulo
- Waived/injured: LB Natrez Patrick
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from NFI: DT Eric Johnson II
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DE Azur Kamara
- Waived: DT Cortez Broughton, TE Mark Vital
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Josh Hammond
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Austin Calitro
- Waived: LB Justin Hilliard
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Johnathan Howard
- Waived: P Sterling Hofrichter
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Terry Godwin
- Waived: WR Juwan Green
Washington Commanders
- Activated from PUP: C Chase Roullier
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/27/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released from reserve/NFI: TE Alex Ellis
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DT Darrion Daniels
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Bailey Gaither
- Placed on NFI: G Ben Cleveland
Chicago Bears
- Placed on PUP: DL Sam Kamara, LB Roquan Smith
- Placed on NFI: S Dane Cruikshank, CB Michael Joseph, WR Tajae Sharpe
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: QB Drew Plitt
- Waived: CB John Brannon
- Activated from PUP: G Alex Cappa, RB Samaje Perine
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on PUP: WR Dontario Drummond, WR Michael Gallup, LB Aaron Hansford, CB Quandre Mosely
- Placed on NFI: LB Damone Clark
Detroit Lions
- Placed on PUP: FB Jason Cabinda
- Placed on NFI: S C.J. Moore
- Placed on non-football illness: T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: Ishmael Hyman
- Released: LB Caliph Brice
- Activated from PUP: OT Caleb Jones, DE Dean Lowry, RB Patrick Taylor
Houston Texans
- Placed on PUP: DE Jordan Jenkins, DB Tristin McCollum, TE Teagan Quitoriano
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from PUP: DL Tyquan Lewis, S Rodney McLeod
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released (failed physical designation): DT Cortez Broughton
- Activated from PUP: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Tino Ellis
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from PUP: Nick Vannett
- Placed on NFI: LB Pete Werner
New York Giants
- Signed: OT Garrett McGhin
- Waived (failure to disclose physical condition designation): OT Kamaal Seymour
- Activated from PUP: TE Daniel Bellinger
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Luq Barcoo
- Waived: DB Jovante Moffat
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on PUP: DE Tyson Alualu
- Placed on NFI: S Minkah Fitzpatrick
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OL Keenan Forbes, G Eric Wilson
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions, including a handful of notable names landing on the physically unable to perform list and the non-football injury list as teams open up camp:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on NFI: WR Marquise Brown
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DB Allie Green, OL Willie Wright
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on PUP: OT Jack Conklin, CB Denzel Ward
- Placed on NFI: DT Sheldon Day, LB Anthony Walker Jr.
- Placed on non-football illness: WR Javon Wims
Denver Broncos
- Placed on PUP: LB Randy Gregory, WR KJ Hamler, OL Billy Turner
- Placed on NFI : LB Christopher Allen
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OL Ty Clary, WR Osirus Mitchell
- Placed on NFI: WR Sammy Watkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Isaiah Ford, WR John Hurst
- Waived: WR Kekoa Crawford, DT Caeveon Patton
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on PUP: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from NFI: DT Vernon Butler
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on PUP: LB Kenneth Murray
Miami Dolphins
- Released with NFI designation: WR Cody Core
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on NFI: CB Nate Hairston
New England Patriots
- Released: C Darryl Williams
- Activated from PUP: LB Raekwon McMillan
- Placed on NFI: CB Myles Bryant
New Orleans Saints
- Released: OL Derek Schweiger
- Placed on NFI: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, TE Nick Vannett
New York Giants
- Signed: S Andrew Adams, WR Marcus Kemp, OT Kamaal Seymour
- Released: DB Maurice Canady
- Waived: DB Henry Black, DT Jabari Ellis, WR Travis Toivonen
- Placed on PUP: C Nick Gates, OT Matt Peart, WR Sterling Shepard
- Placed on NFI: LB Azeez Ojulari
New York Jets
- Signed: WR/PR Rashard Davis, QB Chris Streveler, OL Isaiah Williams
- Released: CB Craig James, WR D.J. Montgomery, OL Dru Samia
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Jaedan Graham, DT Kobe Smith
- Waived: WR Josh Hammond
- Waived with NFI desgination: DT Noah Elliss
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on NFI: S Minkah Fitzpatrick
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Robert Nkemidiche
- Placed on PUP: CB Jason Verrett, TE Charlie Woerner
- Placed on NFI: DT Kalia Davis
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Jake Hausmann
- Waived with failed physical designation: LB Ben Burr-Kirven
- Placed on PUP: CB Tre Brown, LB Jon Rhattigan, OT Liam Ryan, OLB Tyreke Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: TE Codey McElroy
Washington Commanders
- Placed on PUP: C Tyler Larsen, C Chase Roullier, TE Logan Thomas, DE Chase Young
- Placed on NFI: OT Cornelius Lucas
USFL DPOY Chris Odom Auditions For Bengals, Cardinals, Saints
JULY 26: Odom’s workout itinerary surfaced Tuesday. The USFL Defensive Player of the Year auditioned for the Bengals, Cardinals and Saints, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. Odom first trekked to Arizona and Cincinnati but headed to New Orleans today. It certainly looks like he will have options to tack an NFL season onto his spring-summer USFL work. He would be following a few others once he latches on with a team.
JULY 9: Chris Odom put himself back on the NFL map with a strong performance in the USFL. The edge rusher’s agent announced that Odom has three upcoming workouts with NFL teams (h/t to Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). The agent didn’t reveal the three squads, but he said the “calls are starting to come in fast” for his client.
The son of longtime Colts linebacker Cliff Odom, Chris Odom went undrafted out of Arkansas State in 2017. He bounced around the NFL a bit, spending time with the Falcons (two stints), Packers, and Washington. He’s ultimately saw time in 11 NFL games, collecting 16 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble. He also spent time in the AAF and the CFL before landing his most recent gig is the United States Football League.
Back in February, Odom was selected in the second round of the USFL draft. He proceeded to have a standout season with the Houston Gamblers, earning league Defensive Player of the Years honors after compiling 41 tackles, 12.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and four blocked field goals. That performance has apparently put him back on the NFL radar, but during a conversation with Yahoo’s Chris Estrada, Odom was still focused on his USFL squad. While he acknowledged that “whatever opportunity presents itself [after the USFL season], then so be it,” he reiterated how important it was to him that the USFL gave him the opportunity to showcase his skills.
“I have teammates that haven’t played football in a year, two years, three years, some even four years – whether it wasn’t the right opportunity, injury, COVID,” Odom said. “We all just were happy to be able to play football again. So we all just wanted to show everybody what we were capable of.”
We recently saw one USFL player take his talents back to the NFL when linebacker Christian Sam signed with the Cowboys.
Details On Kyler Murray’s New Contract Extension
The Cardinals made headlines Thursday with the announcement that they finally came to terms with quarterback Kyler Murray on a five-year, $230.5MM extension with a total guaranteed amount of $160MM. Now, thanks to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, we have a bit more information on the details within the contract.
Murray was guaranteed $104.3MM at signing composed of a $29.04MM signing bonus, the 2022 base salary of $965,000, the 2023 base salary of $2MM, the 2023 workout bonus of $1MM, the 2023 option bonus of $36MM, and $35.3MM of the 2024 base salary worth $37MM total. The rest of the $160MM guaranteed amount is guaranteed for injury at signing and is fully guaranteed at certain dates. In March of 2024, the 2025 base salary of $18MM fully guarantees. Murray also has a 2025 90-man offseason roster bonus of $11.9MM guaranteed for injury at signing that fully guarantees in March of 2024. $26.8MM of the 2026 compensation in guaranteed for injury at signing. In March of 2025, the 2026 compensation fully guarantees in the amount of $36.8MM. Finally, in March of 2026, the 2027 base salary of $19.5MM fully guarantees.
There are a number of roster and workout bonuses laden throughout the duration of the deal. In addition to the guaranteed $1M 2023 workout bonus, Murray is due workout bonuses of $1M in 2024, $1.86MM in 2025, $1.86MM in 2026, $1.8MM in 2027, and $1.8MM in 2028. In addition to the guaranteed $11.9MM 90-man offseason roster bonus in 2025, Murray will earn 90-man offseason roster bonuses of $17MM in 2026, $14.19MM in 2027, and $7.7MM in 2028. In 2028, Murray will also be due a $2MM training camp bonus. Not only will Murray earn the annual offseason roster bonuses, the contract is also set up for Murray to earn a per game active roster bonus of $50,000 from the 2024 season through the 2028 season for a potential of $850,000 in each of those five seasons.
From the 2024 season through the 2028 season, Murray can earn two different incentive bonuses worth $750,000 apiece in each season. The first salary escalator activates if Murray records 600 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns in a season. The second salary escalator is based on 70% playing time in the regular season, 70% playing time in the NFC Championship game, and an NFC Championship game victory.
Murray’s total contract value of $230.5MM ranks third for NFL quarterbacks behind Josh Allen (six-year, $258.03MM) and Patrick Mahomes (ten-year, $450MM). Both the amount guaranteed at signing and the total guaranteed amount rank second among NFL quarterbacks behind Deshaun Watson‘s fully-guaranteed five-year, $230MM contract. The average annual value of Murray’s contract is $46.1MM, which also ranks second for NFL quarterbacks behind Aaron Rodgers who recently signed a deal worth $50.27MM per year.
The 24-year-old Murray has started 46 games since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2019, only missing three games last season with an ankle injury while amassing a record of 22-23-1. Murray has improved his standing as a top NFL quarterback each year in the league. After ending the 2019 season ranked as the 19th-best quarterback (according to Pro Football Focus), Murray ranked as the 11th-best quarterback in 2020 and the 9th-best quarterback this past season.
In 2022, with contract decisions now behind him, Murray will focus on furthering the team’s improvement. After improving the Cardinals’ win total from five to eight games in his first two seasons, Murray quarterbacked nine wins in 2021 en route to the team’s 11-6 record, leading Arizona to it’s first playoff appearance since 2015. Unfortunately, Murray and the Cardinals lost their first playoff game in six years and will now strive for postseason success in 2022.
The Cardinals’ offense returns many of its weapons from last year. The team only had to replace two main contributors, subbing out Chase Edmonds for Darrel Williams and losing leading receiver from last season Christian Kirk but replacing him with Baltimore’s leading wide receiver in 2021, Marquise Brown. Arizona faces the difficult challenge of a division that includes the Seahawks, 49ers, and reigning Super Bowl champion Rams, but, with no further financial distractions under center, the Cardinals are set up to continue their annual improvement.
Cardinals Make Three Roster Moves
The Cardinals made plenty of headlines yesterday by making quarterback Kyler Murray the league’s second-highest paid player. They have made some other, less substantial moves today. 
The team announced that tight end Maxx Williams has been placed on the active/PUP list. The 28-year-old suffered a season-ending knee injury in October, leaving a significant hole in Arizona’s offense. To fill the void, the Cardinals traded for Zach Ertz days later. Still, Williams did enough in his third year in the desert to earn a one-year contract this offseason.
The former second-rounder is no stranger to injuries. Williams has played a full season only once in his seven-year career, back in 2019. Since then, he has made just 14 appearances in total, prompting the Cardinals to retain Ertz and add Trey McBride in the draft. Williams will therefore have plenty of competition for playing time upon his return.
Meanwhile, the team also confirmed the signing of wideout Victor Bolden Jr. The five-foot-nine, 175-pounder played a pivotal role in helping the Birmingham Stallions win the USFL title. Overall, he ranked fourth in the spring league with 415 receiving yards, numbers which translated to the championship game (of which he was named MVP). In addition, he showcased his ability as a returner, with 794 yards on special teams. That was Bolden’s calling card during his previous stint in the NFL, which began by signing as a UDFA with the 49ers in 2017 and ended last summer when he was waived by the Lions.
Lastly, to make room for Bolden, the Cardinals released undrafted receiver Jared Smart. If Bolden can make Arizona’s roster as a returner in particular, he could round out the team’s WR corps, which already features the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, A.J. Green, Antoine Wesley and Andy Isabella at the top of the depth chart.
Cardinals, Kyler Murray Finalize Extension
After a tenuous offseason in which he first became eligible for an extension, Kyler Murray is now on the verge of a lucrative second contract. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Cardinals are “working to close a monster extension” with the former No. 1 pick.
Rapoport adds that the deal will make Murray “one of the NFL’s highest-paid players,” and that is has now been finalized (Twitter link). The team has corroborated (via Twitter) that the contract is in place. The two sides have been negotiating “for weeks” to hammer out terms, and now the process has reached the finish line. The deal comprises a five-year extension, meaning that Murray (who has two years remaining on his rookie contract) will remain under contract with Arizona through 2028.
Regarding financial details, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the pact has a total value of $230.5MM, adding that the contract carries $160MM in guaranteed money. At a annual average value of $46.1MM-per-year, this deal makes Murray the NFL’s second highest-paid QB, behind Aaron Rodgers. It also ranks second in terms of guaranteed compensation, trailing only the historic $230MM deal the Browns gave Deshaun Watson, ever dollar of which is assured. Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero adds that Murray will make $69MM over the first two years of the extension, and $106.15MM by year three (Twitter link).
Murray, 24, has been a full-time starter immediately since entering the NFL in 2019. After winning Rookie of the Year honors, he has been named a Pro Bowler in each of the past two seasons. That made a long-term commitment seem inevitable, but tensions have run high between the player and club leading up to this deal.
Back in February, there were reports of acrimony as the window for an extension to be signed was soon to be opened. Weeks later, Murray’s agent issued, in essence, an ultimatum to the team detailing his contributions to the franchise, along with a blueprint for an extension. Things looked bleak in terms of the relationship between the two sides at that point, but the situation steadily progressed as the offseason moved closer to the summer, when a deal of this magnitude was always more likely to be signed.
In June, it came out that an extension being finalized ahead of training camp was quite likely. Now, the Cardinals have their franchise centerpiece in place for the long-term future. Questions about his leadership will no doubt remain, and in fact be amplified, by his rank amongst the highest-paid players in the league. Delivering postseason success will likewise become an even greater expectation with this deal in place. Meanwhile, this contract shows the close link between the value of Watson’s extension and the financial terms Murray ended up agreeing to. It will be worth watching if any Lamar Jackson deal ends up taking on a similar form.