NFL players, coaches, execs make Kyler Murray top-10 QB
How good a quarterback is Arizona Cardinals signal-caller Kyler Murray? The team believes he is a franchise quarterback. Touchdown Wire didn’t have him even in the top 15 of quarterbacks in the league.
Those in the league think differently.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler polled NFL players, coaches and executives and compiled the numbers to come up with the top 10 quarterbacks in the league.
Murray slides in at No. 10, getting ranked as high as No. 8 by those who voted. He barely made it, winning a tiebreak over Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons.
After NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019, Murray looked destined to crack the top 10 after Year 2. He did, but not convincingly. The voting drop-off after Herbert was significant, with Murray winning a tiebreaker with Matt Ryan.
The playmaking quarterback tied for the NFL lead with 14 completions of 40-plus yards, and his 819 rushing yards trailed only Jackson among quarterbacks. Murray’s arm strength and release are impressive, with one NFL quarterback saying he can “throw the s— out of the ball.”
But his play faded late in the season, with a 57.0 Total QBR over the season’s final seven weeks, ranking 19th out of 32 eligible quarterbacks. Murray was ninth over the first 10 weeks, at 76.9.
“He’s very talented. Some of issues are outside of him — I don’t think [the Cardinals’] style of play is conducive to winning big games late in the season,” an AFC scout said. “Even though the NFL is more open with more passing, really good teams still put an emphasis on defense and running the ball. They are the complete opposite.”
Fair or not, questions about Murray’s leadership ceiling exist in some league circles. Some wonder if he’s the type of player behind whom teammates rally, though they aren’t in the locker room with him every day. Others say he’s simply reserved or quiet, which isn’t a terminal flaw, but underscores the importance of letting his play talk for him.
There is little Murray can’t do and it feels like his limitations seem to be more the fault of his coach than his ability.
This ranking is much more appropriate of his talent and achievements. He has four Player of the Week awards in two seasons. He has exceeded all lofty expectations those have had of him. The next step is elevate his to team to the postseason. He is poised to do that in 2021.
Herbert looks like he is special. You can quibble about Murray and Jackson, as Murray is more gifted as a thrower but Jackson’s legs make him a little more dangerous than Murray, and Jackson has won more with his team.
But putting Murray in the top 10 is exactly where he should be at this point.
Give him another year and making more plays in the passing game, he could elevate into the top five in a year from now.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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