HEADLINES

Kyler Murray

Kyler Murray Influenced Jonathan Gannon’s Decision To Accept Arizona HC Position

February 20th, 2023 at 7:05pm CST by Ely Allen

In an interesting excerpt from a conversation with new Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, we learned that quarterback Kyler Murray played a huge factor in bringing the first-time head coach to Arizona, according to Peter King of NBC Sports. There was also a bit of information detailing just how badly the Eagles wanted to hang on to their former defensive coordinator.

When asked about how the “polarizing figure” of Murray factored into Gannon’s decision, Gannon frankly replied, “If Kyler Murray isn’t here, I don’t take this job.”

Gannon went on to laud the young quarterback, praising the ability he has to put defenses in a bind. He then elaborated on where he thinks he can improve on Murray’s usage. Gannon believes that Murray was utilized out of the shotgun offense far too often and that incorporating more play from under center will “take him to another level and unleash his full skill set.” Gannon claims that running more plays from under center will force defenses to have to be ready to defend plays they don’t worry about in shotgun formations, taking pressure off of the offensive line and Murray.

In light of Gannon’s plans for the 25-year-old quarterback under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, it’s clear that Gannon is on the positive end of the polarizing opinions of Murray. It sounds like Cardinals fans should expect Murray to remain the long-term plan at quarterback moving forward under Gannon.

King’s next question asked Gannon to expand on his exit from Philadelphia. It appears that the Eagles’ brass had some idea that Gannon would be a hot commodity and prepared a counteroffer to keep him in place. According to Gannon, the team offered him a new contract that would pay him more than he would make as a head coach.

As much as Gannon claims to have loved Philadelphia, head coach Nick Sirianni, general manager Howie Roseman, and owner Jeffrey Lurie, the prospect of becoming a head coach was too enticing. Gannon credits Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, general manager Monti Ossenfort, and Murray with making the job so alluring, so much so that he was willing to turn down a rich new deal to retain a position in which he knew he could succeed.

Sean Payton Addresses Russell Wilson, Decision To Pass On Cardinals

February 9th, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terry Bradshaw made a bit of noise during Super Bowl week, saying ex-FOX coworker Sean Payton was leery of working with either Russell Wilson or Kyler Murray.

Payton interviewed with two teams that roster returning quarterbacks — the Broncos and Cardinals — and two teams without settled starters (Panthers, Texans). He ended up choosing Denver, but Bradshaw said (via Newsday’s Tom Rock, on Twitter) he accepted the Broncos’ offer in spite of Wilson and did not want to work with Murray. Noting when Bradshaw is interviewed, “you hold your breath, because you don’t know what’s going to come out,” Payton addressed why he chose the Broncos — a job that will feature a Wilson cleanup task in 2023.

“For me, the first thing was ownership and general manager. That triangle needed to be strong,” Payton told Kay Adams on her Up & Adams show Thursday. “… With Russell, we’ve got someone who’s won a lot of games, who’s been successful. And then it’s really looking at, ‘Hey, what are the things he does well?’ I think anytime you have a season where it’s 5-12 or whatever their record was, my experience from afar is, generally speaking, there are a lot of people with dirt on their hands — not just Russ. That falls on other players; that falls on the coaching staff. I think those things we can clean up and correct.

“More importantly, [the decision centered on] going to the place where ownership is in place and supportive and has a clear vision and the general manager’s in place, those are the key, critical factors.”

Payton has spoken highly of both new Broncos CEO Greg Penner and third-year GM George Paton. Although Payton has been connected to bringing in former GM and longtime Saints staffer Jeff Ireland, Payton compared Denver’s GM to Mickey Loomis. For the time being, it looks like the Payton-Paton setup is not in jeopardy of splintering.

Paton’s headline 2022 acquisition encountered quick turbulence. Wilson struggled for most of the season acclimating to Nathaniel Hackett‘s offense and flashed concerning form in his age-34 campaign. But he angled for Payton, reaching out to the longtime Saints HC and Drew Brees about the fit. Payton will now be in charge of salvaging the Broncos’ big-ticket quarterback get.

“We spoke briefly,” Payton said of a pre-hire conversation with Wilson. “Latavius Murray is one of my former players, and he’s played with a number of teams. He’s one of those guys you like being around. We had a great experience with him in New Orleans. I got a text right at the end of the season. He said, ‘Man, we have to find a way to get you here — me and backfield teammate.’ When I heard that, I thought of running back. Then I thought of who else is in his backfield? I texted and said, ‘Who is your backfield teammate?’ He sent the number three. It was Christmas time and I said, ‘Be careful what you’re asking Santa for.’ That was my response. We kind of went from there.”

The Broncos fired Hackett on Dec. 26, and Payton became the team’s top target soon after. He made the Broncos his first meeting and said that was not due simply to logistics. While Payton offered praise for Kyler Murray, he said his “instincts were pushing me in a direction with Denver.”

This promises to be an eventful period for a Broncos team that has followed up its Super Bowl 50 win with seven straight playoff absences. The team gave Wilson and his team considerable privileges upon acquiring the longtime Seahawk, allowing him input into the offense and permitting his camp access to the facility. This involved a private office for the quarterback and access for his personal coach, Jake Heaps. Payton will be making some changes on that front. While Payton said he was unfamiliar with the previous arrangement, he confirmed (video link via SI.com’s Albert Breer) Wilson would not be working with his personal coach while at the facility.

The Cardinals have yet to hire a head coach; it appears likely no decision is coming until after Super Bowl LVII. Shortly after the team’s Payton meeting, new candidates Lou Anarumo and Mike Kafka entered the mix. Those two may well be the Arizona finalists. Anarumo’s second interview is set for Friday.

“I think [Murray] is extremely talented, and I think they have the same challenges there that we have in Denver,” Payton said, via Adams (Twitter link). “They are very similar challenges. Culture in the building has to be better. It just does.”

Kyler Murray Will Not Be Ready For Start Of 2023 Season?

January 29th, 2023 at 12:23pm CST by Rory Parks

The Cardinals are still searching for their next head coach, a search into which quarterback Kyler Murray reportedly has had input. Murray’s own health status could also be impacting the process.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Murray — who suffered an ACL tear in December — may not be cleared to play before the start of the 2023 regular season, and he may not see the field until the midway point of the campaign (video link). This differs a bit from Rapoport’s own report last month, when he indicated that Murray’s ACL tear was a clean one and that he had a realistic chance of suiting up for Week 1.

In addition to the ACL tear, however, Murray also suffered a torn meniscus. And, given his importance to the team and the fact that he just signed a massive contract extension last offseason, it stands to reason that the Cardinals would be especially cautious with his recovery. Although 2022 was a disappointing year across the board for the club — and although Murray’s regression in all major passing categories was a significant reason for that — his Pro Bowl performances over the 2020-21 seasons underscore his status as a franchise QB.

As such, while Rapoport said Murray’s prognosis has doubtlessly come up during the Cardinals’ head coaching interviews, it is unclear if it has deterred any candidates. Sean Payton, who interviewed with Arizona earlier this week, is reportedly a fan of Murray, and given the draft capital and financial commitment it would take to land Payton, the former Saints HC is surely not worried that the subpar win-loss record that the Cards might post in Murray’s absence would affect his job security.

But regardless of his thoughts on Murray, Payton’s momentum towards a return to the NFL in 2023 appears to be losing steam (which may be due, at least in part, to the Saints’ reported demand of two first-round picks in exchange for Payton’s rights). If the Cardinals elect to go in a different direction, Brian Flores, Aaron Glenn, and Ejiro Evero would reportedly comprise the team’s HC finalists.

Colt McCoy, who is under club control through 2023, would likely serve as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback for however many games Murray is forced to miss. McCoy has started six games for Arizona over the past two seasons, compiling a 3-3 record during that time.

Cardinals, Texans Granted Permission To Meet With Sean Payton

January 16th, 2023 at 7:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

TODAY, 7:40pm: Payton’s interview with the Texans took place this evening, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston (on Twitter). The coach still has interviews with the Broncos and Panthers on the docket.

JANUARY 11, 2:30pm: Linked to Sean Payton for a bit now, the Cardinals will explore this path. The Saints granted the Cards permission to speak with Payton, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Texans are in the mix as well, with NFL.com’s Peter Schrager indicating they have requested permission to speak with Payton. The Saints have also granted this request, Rapoport adds (Twitter links).

Payton, who is set to interview with the Broncos at some point, remains under contract with the Saints through 2024. Compensation will need to be negotiated between the Saints and interested teams, in the event a hire is imminent. The Cardinals are starting their HC-GM search with the GM part, but the team may be willing to make an exception for Payton.

Rumblings about the Cardinals looming as a dark horse for Payton emerged several weeks ago, when the longtime Saints HC had been connected only to the Cowboys, Chargers and Dolphins. None of those teams have vacancies, which could put Payton’s patience to the test. The Cardinals would satisfy Payton’s warm-weather preference, and although Kyler Murray is coming off a down season that ended with an ACL tear, he certainly qualifies as a franchise quarterback.

Payton is a fan of Murray, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. If the Cardinals are able to snag Payton, it seems likely he would be a central part of selecting a GM. Arizona has not hired a GM from outside the organization since the 1990s, and the team has internal and external candidates in place. Payton is believed to want to bring personnel people with him wherever he goes. While that could be a complication in Denver, which has a GM (George Paton), it would be less disruptive in Arizona.

Although the Cardinals had success with Bruce Arians and Ken Whisenhunt, the franchise has not employed a coach with this level of prestige since moving to the desert. Payton coached the Saints to nine playoff berths during his time in New Orleans, and all but one of the the playoff wins in franchise history came under Payton. While Drew Brees had a lot to say about that, Payton played the lead role in elevating Brees to the top tier at his position.

The Broncos’ new ownership would present a challenge for the Cardinals, depending on how much money will play into Payton’s thinking. Rob Walton‘s net worth dwarfs every other NFL owner’s, and the Broncos also are positioned to give Payton final say on personnel matters. Murray may be the better draw compared to a 34-year-old Russell Wilson, but the Cardinals’ roster also has several aging pieces. There is also the possibility Payton punts on a landing spot this year and waits for more attractive jobs to open up down the road.

It is tough to see a Payton-Texans partnership coming to fruition. Houston is still early in what has already been a lengthy rebuild process, one that has now featured GM Nick Caserio making back-to-back coaches one-and-dones. Payton, 58, would be given a much longer leash compared to David Culley and Lovie Smith, but this situation would be a strange one for a Payton comeback.

Houston, however, does have draft capital that outflanks both Arizona and Denver. Caserio’s deft maneuvering with Deshaun Watson gave the Texans additional first-round picks from 2022-24. Thanks to a 3-13-1 record this season, Houston holds the No. 2 pick next year. The Browns going 7-10 gave the Texans the No. 12 choice as well. While that presents an interesting opportunity, the state of the Texans’ roster is still fairly bleak. Payton also said last year he would eliminate certain teams based on their reputations.

“It would be the comfort level with ownership and the front office, with the leadership structure, with likeminded thinking,” Payton said of the circumstances describing his preferred destination in November. “Are more of those opportunities out there? I don’t think many. I think there are a lot of dysfunctional teams in our league. There are some places where talent can die. I just want to avoid those places.”

Payton once turned around a Saints team that had one playoff win in 38 years of existence, but he can be choosier about his destination given what he achieved in New Orleans. Both the Cardinals and Texans have experienced their fair share of dysfunction, and while the Broncos have been to eight Super Bowls and won three, they have changed coaches a few times during what is now a seven-season playoff drought. Some pushback on Payton’s Cardinals interest also surfaced last month. It will be interesting to see if Payton interviews with all three teams. He cannot begin interviewing until Jan. 17.

Cardinals Request GM Interviews With Ian Cunningham, Ran Carthon, Adam Peters, Monti Ossenfort

January 9th, 2023 at 3:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

It was announced not long after the Kliff Kingsbury firing that the Cardinals would also be in need of a new general manager. Steve Keim has permanently stepped away from the team due to health-related reasons, meaning Arizona joins Tennessee as the only NFL clubs currently in need of a new leader in their front office.

Keim took an indefinite leave of absence in December, and it was reported days later that he and the team were expected to part ways. With that move now having been made official, the franchise is currently operating with vice president of player personnel Quentin Harris and vice president of pro personnel Adrian Wilson filing in on an interim basis.

Each of them has already been interviewed for the full-time position, though, owner Michael Bidwill said on Monday. He added that his preference would be to have a new GM in place prior to the team’s next head coaching hire, but that the opposite order would also not be an issue (Twitter link via team reporter Darren Urban). External candidates have begun to emerge alongside Harris and Wilson.

One of those is Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, who has had received a formal interview request from the Cardinals, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (on Twitter). He has also drawn the attention of the Titans in the early goings of their GM search, a testament to his continued rise through the ranks of various NFL front office positions during his career.

Cunningham began with the Ravens in 2013 as a scout, translating his time there into a move to Philadelphia in 2017. Over the course of his time with the Eagles, he worked his way up to the title of player personnel director. Most recently, he was hired by the Bears last January in another promotion, this time to assistant general manager.

In addition to Cunningham, the Cardinals wish to meet with Ran Carthon and Adam Peters, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Those two hold the titles of director of pro personnel and AGM, respectively, with the 49ers. Like Cunningham, they too have caught the eye of the Titans for their general manager vacancy. Carthon, 41, has served in his current role since 2017 after spending time in the front office with the Falcons and Rams.

Monti Ossenfort is also on the Cardinals’ radar, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Ossenfort, a longtime Patriots exec who has been with the Titans since 2020, saw the team elevate Ryan Cowden to its interim GM post in the wake of Jon Robinson‘s firing. Interviewing for GM roles in the past, Ossenfort serves as Tennessee’s director of player personnel. Given the Cowden development and the Titans’ changing of the guard, it will be interesting to see if Ossenfort remains on staff ahead of the 2023 season.

Peters, meanwhile, has been an NFL executive for two decades, beginning with the Patriots and later, the Broncos. He joined the 49ers in 2017, working his way up from VP of player personnel to the assistant GM title last year. He was a finalist for the Giants’ GM job last winter, which ultimately went to Joe Schoen.

Seeking their first GM in a decade, the Cardinals will have plenty of options to consider before making a hire. On the head coach side of the situation, quarterback Kyler Murray will be involved in the search for Kingsbury’s successor (Twitter link via Johnny Venerable of the PHNX Cardinals Podcast). That could add a interesting element to Arizona’s offseason, one which will be busy in light of today’s events.

Latest On Kliff Kingsbury’s Future With Cardinals

December 24th, 2022 at 12:36pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals are about to miss the playoffs for the third time in four seasons under Kliff Kingsbury, leading to natural questions about the head coach’s future in Arizona. Multiple team sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Josh Weinfuss that they could see a path where owner Michael Bidwill will give his head coach another year at the helm, “due in part to injuries ravaging the roster and a personnel department in flux.”

On the flip side, Fowler and Weinfuss detail an increasingly ugly situation in the locker room, especially between Kingsbury and star quarterback Kyler Murray. While the QB was recently lost for the season with a torn ACL, the relationship between the duo had “grown increasingly distant” throughout the 2022 campaign, with Kingsbury described as “extremely frustrated” with his signal caller. In particular, the HC was wary of Murray’s “negativity” and his ability to influence others in the building.

The Murray-Kingsbury dynamic dates back a decade when the coach tried to recruit the QB out of high school. However, the two have gone periods this season without interaction, with one source saying the relationship seems “particularly bad this year.” As a result, passing game coordinator Cam Turner was forced to serve as a buffer between the two prior to Murray’s injury.

While sources say the relationship between Kingsbury and Bidwill hasn’t been without tension, the owner still may be willing to give his head coach the benefit of the doubt. Sources said Kingsbury hasn’t necessarily been given the resources to succeed, and the constant offensive injuries has left the head coach “miserable” since he can’t run his preferred system.

“He knows that it’s not a situation that lends itself to him being happy and successful and at his best for that organization, which he wants to be,” a source said. “They won’t let him. They won’t let him be great.”

A source told ESPN that Kingsbury wanted to fire offensive line coach/run game coordinator Sean Kugler long before he was dismissed for an incident in Mexico City. While the coach had already “lost opportunities to contribute to offensive planning,” it was believed that Bidwill didn’t want to fire Kugler and eat his contract, with Kingsbury supporters pointing to this anecdote as proof of the coach’s limited control in Arizona.

On the flip side, while the owner still meets with the head coach before and after games, the organization generally holds Kingsbury responsible for the W/L record. Ultimately, the Cardinals are 28-34-1 in Kingsbury’s three-plus seasons with the organization, with only a single playoff loss to show for their efforts. Kingsbury still has five years left on his contract, and the organization inked Murray to a $230MM extension prior to the 2022 campaign.

Cardinals Likely To Part Ways With GM Steve Keim

December 18th, 2022 at 10:53pm CST by Rory Parks

The Cardinals are expected to part ways with longtime GM Steve Keim this offseason, as Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. Keim recently took an indefinite leave of absence from the team due to an undisclosed health-related matter.

Vice president of player personnel Quentin Harris and vice president of pro personnel Adrian Wilson are presently sharing Keim’s duties on an interim basis, and Jones says both men are legitimate candidates to be promoted to general manager this offseason. Harris enjoyed a six-year playing career that began in Arizona before becoming a Cardinals scout in 2008, and he has been working his way up the personnel ladder ever since. Wilson left more of an on-field legacy, as he played in the NFL for 13 seasons — 12 as a member of the Cardinals — and earned five Pro Bowl nods during that time.

Wilson, 43, was inducted into Arizona’s Ring of Honor in 2015, the same year he began working for the team as a regional scout. His ascent has been more rapid than that of the 45-year-old Harris, though it appears both execs will have a chance to lead a club’s front office sooner rather than later. The Giants interviewed Wilson and Harris during their GM search earlier this year, and it was reported that the Jaguars nearly hired Wilson as general manager.

While Wilson and Harris are well-respected around the league, Jones’ sources wonder if Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill will choose to look outside the organization to replace Keim. Since Buddy Ryan left his post as Arizona’s head coach/general manager in 1995, the club’s next three GMs — Bob Ferguson, Rod Graves, and Keim — have all been promoted from within.

Of course, Bidwill could also be looking for a new head coach this offseason. Kliff Kingsbury, who was hired in 2019, has compiled a 28-33-1 record to date, and a report detailing his uncertain job security surfaced last month. While some of the factors that have played a role in the Cardinals’ 2022 struggles are beyond Kingsbury’s control — WR DeAndre Hopkins‘ six-game PED ban, QB Kyler Murray‘s ACL tear, etc. — his play-calling and game-planning have been frequently criticized. Bidwill would have to eat a great deal of money by cutting ties with Keim and Kingsbury, as he elected to hand both men thru-2027 extensions back in March, but he may feel he has no other choice.

Some good news for Cardinals fans is that Murray’s ACL tear is a clean one, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Murray is expected to begin training camp on the PUP list and will have a realistic chance of taking the field for the 2023 regular season opener.

NFC West Notes: Cards, Purdy, Rams, Hawks

December 15th, 2022 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals will be without their 10th-year GM going forward. Steve Keim stepped away from his post for the time being, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes this health-related matter has been on the radar for months (video link). Keim’s future with the Cardinals is “up in the air,” Rapoport adds. This news comes months after Keim agreed to an extension that runs through 2027. Both Keim and Kliff Kingsbury signed add-ons this offseason, though the latter has also run into some turbulence. With Keim stepping away, Kyler Murray going down with an ACL tear and Kingsbury on the hot seat, this has been one of the more disappointing seasons in recent Cardinals history.

Here is the latest from Arizona and the rest of the NFC West:

  • Brock Purdy was not throwing during the 49ers‘ Tuesday practice, but the new San Francisco starter is expected to play through his rib and oblique injuries against the Seahawks tonight, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Purdy stayed in Sunday’s game despite suffering those injuries. The 49ers, who have lost both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo to major injuries this season, have journeyman Josh Johnson — recently signed off the Broncos’ practice squad — in place as their backup. Purdy and Johnson are the only two healthy QBs on San Francisco’s 53-man roster. Garoppolo remains on the active roster, for IR-management purposes, but is unlikely to return this season.
  • Shifting back to the Cardinals‘ quarterback situation, Murray is not slated to have surgery until after Christmas, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets. This is common for ACL surgeries, with the delay helping the swelling subside. Saquon Barkley ended up waiting over a month to have his ACL surgery in 2020 and was ready in time for the 2021 season. Week 1 will obviously be Murray’s goal, but given the through-2028 extension the Cardinals gave Murray this offseason, it would not surprise to see the organization play this cautionsly.
  • Thought to be leaving for Matt Rhule‘s Nebraska staff, Rams assistant Jake Peetz is staying in Los Angeles. Peetz turned down an offer to head to Lincoln, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Currently a Rams offensive assistant, Peetz was believed to have been offered the Nebraska quarterbacks coach job. He was the Panthers’ QBs coach under Rhule in 2020 and is a Nebraska native who played for the Cornhuskers during the 2000s. With Rams OC Liam Coen leaving to be Kentucky’s OC soon, it would not surprise to see Peetz rise on Sean McVay‘s staff.
  • The Rams will, however, lose their running backs coach — Ra’Shaad Samples — to the college ranks. Samples is heading to Arizona State to become the Pac-12 program’s wide receivers coach and passing-game coordinator, per Matt Zenitz of On3Sports. This season marked Samples’ first in the NFL. Impressively rising to the level of an NFL position coach at just 27, Samples will return to the college ranks. He was previously SMU’s running backs coach before heading to L.A. Samples also drew coordinator interest at the college level, Zenitz adds.
  • McVay’s staff has seen a run of connections to the college level in recent weeks. Prior to Arizona State and Georgia Tech hiring Kenny Dillingham and Brent Key, respectively, the schools were interested in Rams assistants. Tight ends coach Thomas Brown drew interest from the Sun Devils, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who adds defensive line coach Eric Henderson was on the Yellowjackets’ radar. A Georgia Tech alum, Henderson, 39, has been with the Rams since 2019. Brown, 36, has been with the team since 2020, joining the Rams after 10 seasons as a college staffer. The latter has generated praise as a rising NFL assistant, so the Rams retaining him is critical.
  • The Rams used their high waiver position to claim former Titans defensive lineman Larrell Murchison, but Field Yates of ESPN.com notes the Seahawks and Lions also made claims (Twitter link). Murchison’s rookie contract runs through the 2023 season; the Rams will have a chance to evaluate the former fifth-round pick.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/22

December 14th, 2022 at 7:03pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray Suffers Torn ACL

December 13th, 2022 at 12:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyler Murray‘s MRI confirmed the worst. The Pro Bowl passer suffered a torn ACL during the first quarter of the Cardinals’ loss to the Patriots, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Kliff Kingsbury confirmed the tear Tuesday afternoon.

This will shut down Arizona’s recently extended quarterback until at least training camp, and given the timing here, a return by Week 1 of next season may not be a guarantee. This is a brutal blow for Murray and the team, coming months after his landmark extension.

Although Murray has missed time as a pro, this will obviously be new rehab territory. The former No. 1 overall pick had been on an upward trajectory since his senior season at Oklahoma produced a Heisman Trophy and convinced him to eschew a baseball career — after being chosen ninth overall in the 2018 MLB draft — for an NFL run. Murray, 25, checked a new box for the modern Cardinals — a homegrown franchise quarterback — and led the team to the playoffs last season, en route to that five-year, $230.5MM extension. Not much has gone smoothly since that through-2028 deal came to pass, however, and this injury will now define Murray’s next offseason.

Monday’s events make Murray’s push for a new contract this past offseason pivotal. While quarterbacks re-establishing their previous form following ACL tears is almost expected at this point, Murray did well to secure $103.3MM fully guaranteed ($160MM in total guarantees) this summer. Rather than going into an uncertain fifth-year option season in 2023, the former two-sport standout parlayed the momentum from his back-to-back Pro Bowls into a windfall. Strong returns did not exactly emerge from the deal in Year 1, but Murray agreeing to terms months after becoming extension-eligible serves as tremendous protection.

The Cardinals will turn to Colt McCoy to close out their disappointing season. McCoy, 36, re-signed on a two-year, $7.5MM accord this offseason. McCoy’s performance last season filling in for Murray, who had sustained a hamstring injury midway through the 2021 campaign, landed him $6MM guaranteed. He will be in position to hold down the fort during OTAs and minicamp — and quite possibly training camp — for a Cardinals team that may be in transition.

Kingsbury advocated for Murray three years ago, pushing GM Steve Keim to draft him despite the team having just used a top-10 pick on a quarterback (Josh Rosen) the year prior. Nick Bosa‘s status notwithstanding, the Cards were right to bail on Rosen so soon. But Kingsbury’s chances of returning in 2023 may have taken a hit after Murray’s injury. Already viewed as uncertain to return, the former Texas Tech HC will not have a chance to oversee a strong Murray finish. It is worth wondering if Kingsbury — his offseason extension aside — will still be calling the shots when Murray is healthy again.

Murray and Kingsbury have clashed this season, and after being an original-ballot Pro Bowler in 2020 and ’21, the former took a step back in 2022. Murray closes the year averaging a career-low 6.1 yards per attempt, leading to a career-worst 51.2 QBR figure. Murray ranks 21st in that metric. Of course, the Cardinals rarely had the chance to deploy their optimal skill-position corps around their starter this season. DeAndre Hopkins missed six games because of a PED suspension, and just as the All-Pro wideout returned, trade acquisition Marquise Brown was suddenly unavailable because of a foot injury. Zach Ertz has missed the past several games, having also suffered a torn ACL.

The Cardinals have Hopkins, Ertz, Brown and James Conner under contract for 2023. Brown will be heading into the final year of his rookie deal. While a chance for that group to play together remains on the table, Murray and Ertz being set for extensive rehab processes stands to cloud Arizona’s immediate future — especially in the wake of the team taking a major step back from a 2021 playoff appearance.

Load More Posts