The offseason saga between the Arizona Cardinals and star quarterback Kyler Murray is taking another turn. Days after the franchise extended general manager Steve Keim and coach Kliff Kingsbury, they could now be facing a pivotal deadline with Murray.
Murray hasn’t exactly hidden his dissatisfaction with the organization. He scrubbed any reference to the team off his social media, raising doubts about his future. When the Cardinals leaked their frustrations with the star quarterback being self-centered and immature, he fired back with a statement.
- Kyler Murray stats (2021): 24-5 TD-INT, 3,787 passing yards, 69.2% completion rate, 100.6 QB rating
Things seemed to be quieting down for a few weeks, with teams not opposing teams not even inquiring about Murray’s availability. Following a lengthy statement by Murray’s agent, seemingly calling out the Cardinals for unfulfilled contractual promises, it seems a possible departure is now back on the table.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer broke down the situation in the latest Monday Morning Quarterback. As part of his reporting, Breer wrote that Murray wants a contract resolution with Arizona between now and the 2022 NFL Draft.
If the Cardinals fail to reach a resolution, likely a long-term extension, things could get ugly very quickly for the organization.
According to Breer, Murray doesn’t want to wait until the summer for a new deal to be worked out because NFL rules make holding out extremely costly. The NFL insider noted that while a trade hasn’t been requested yet, it is “on the table” if negotiations end badly.
It’s the worst-case scenario for Arizona. Ownership just committed to Keim and Kingsbury for multiple seasons, a partnership that many are skeptical of finding success. Murray is the most important figure in the Cardinals’ organization, something his representatives know well.
Any long-term deal for Murray will likely have to start at $38-plus million in AAV, making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. If the Cardinals can’t approach that mark, things might spiral into a disaster.