NFC West Watch: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray inks monster extension
The Seattle Seahawks may not have their quarterback situation figured out, but their division rivals in the Valley of the Sun certainly do. On Thursday morning, the Arizona Cardinals signed quarterback Kyler Murray to a remarkable extension. This ends an offseason wrought with plenty of drama, as the Cardinals lock up their franchise signal caller and Murray gets the financial security he was looking for.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Murray’s extension is a five-year deal worth up to $230 million dollars, with $160 million fully guaranteed. Murray’s per-year average salary will trail only Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and his guaranteed money is second only to Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
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 Seahawks will have to deal with Murray for years to come, but they have had success already against the former Sooner star.
In his career, Murray is 2-3 versus Seattle, with one of those wins mostly defined by Russell Wilson throwing three interceptions… the last of which came in overtime to set up Arizona’s game-winning field goal.
Murray has proven to be a dynamic, franchise caliber player, but this extension does not come without some risk. Durability concerns related to his undersized frame are proving to be warranted, as Murray has dealt with injuries in each of his three seasons in the NFL.
Additionally, questions about his maturity and leadership skills arose this offseason during the height of the drama with the Cardinals.
However, as the Seahawks are about to be reminded of this season, franchise quarterbacks do not grow on trees. Arizona had to do what they could to lock down theirs, becoming the first drafted quarterback the Cardinals drafted to receive an extension since Jake Plummer in 1998.
The challenge for Arizona now becomes if the team can consistently draft well to surround Murray with top talent as his contract will now consume a significant portion of the salary cap. This might be easier said than done, as PFF ranks the Cards roster among the bottom half of the league in total talent.
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