Kyler Murray, Cardinals reportedly agree to $230.5M extension after offseason drama
Kyler Murray will remain with the Arizona Cardinals after all.
Following an offseason of drama, the two sides reportedly came together on a massive $230.5 million contract extension Thursday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Cardinals are giving Kyler Murray a five-year, $230.5 million deal that includes $160 million guaranteed, per source. It gives Murray the second highest paid QB average at $46.1 million per year. https://t.co/tTnUJXGSm3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 21, 2022
The team seemingly confirmed the extension on Twitter, though did not disclose the details of the contract.
The deal is worth more than the $230 million contract Deshaun Watson signed with the Cleveland Browns in March. It does not include as much guaranteed money, however. Murray is guaranteed to make $160 million, while Watson's entire $230 million deal was guaranteed by the Browns.
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Kyler Murray off to strong NFL start
Murray, 24, has put up solid numbers with the organization since being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. In three seasons, Murray has thrown for 70 touchdowns against 34 interceptions. He's also rushed for 1,786 yards and scored 20 rushing touchdowns.
After going 5-10-1 with the Cardinals as a rookie, Murray helped lead them to a .500 record in 2020. They won their first seven games last season, but Murray got injured in a Week 8 loss against the Green Bay Packers and missed the next three games. The Cardinals stumbled in the second half, going just 4-6 in their final 10 games.
Arizona made the playoffs despite those struggles, but lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round. Murray threw for just 137 yards, with no touchdowns and two interceptions, in the loss.
He received criticism for that performance, and there were also rumors Murray refused to re-enter the game with under a minute left to play, which reportedly did not sit well with the team.
Kyler Murray scrubbed social media in offseason
That kicked off a drama-filled offseason between Murray and the Cardinals. Murray scrubbed all references to Arizona from his social media accounts in February. His agent also released a statement angling for a new contract. In March, Murray said his activities on social media had nothing to do with the Cardinals.
Murray did not show up to voluntary OTAs in May, leading to more speculation about his future with the team. He showed up in June, however, a sign he was ready to leave the offseason drama in the past.
If there ever was animosity between Murray and the Cardinals, that appears to have cooled now. Murray got the deal he was seeking, and the Cardinals locked up one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the NFL.
Questions remain over Murray's ultimate upside, especially after his poor playoff showing. He's shown enough over his first three seasons to give Cardinals fans hope that winning a championship is possible. In the NFL, that's worth $230.5 million.
