Big news out of the NFL today, coincidentally, the same day that Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks were set to report to training camp. The Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray are shaking hands and locking things down through 2028 with a deal that is going to see Murray bag $160M guaranteed! Five years. $230.5M total. That is just insane money. Murray just hit the jackpot as one of the most exciting and dynamic young quarterbacks in the game.
Kyler Murray and the Cardinals have agreed to a 5-yr, $230.5M deal that includes $160M guaranteed, per @AdamSchefter. pic.twitter.com/q3ULDuDPN2
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) July 21, 2022
What an interesting decision – the Cardinals had been talking about their desire to get a long-term deal done with Murray all along, but it still kind of felt like that hollow “well, what else are we supposed to say right now?” kind of talk. There were rumors that Murray wanted a trade at one point earlier this offseason too, so to see this get done before he even steps onto the practice field for training camp makes for one less thing that franchise has to worry about. One guy that has to be happy about this news is Lamar Jackson.
I don’t want to be a hater, but I can’t help but wonder whether or not Murray belongs in the same class of quarterbacks who are among the top five paid at the position. That would be Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen. I like Murray’s game, but at this point, you’re essentially placing a bet more than locking up a proven commodity. Get your money, nonetheless, but we’ve seen how big contracts have effected public perception of a player if the people don’t think said player lives up to the billing. Can he become one of those guys? Sure – I just don’t think he’s there quite yet.
The pressure on Murray to deliver a Super Bowl in Arizona is going to ramp up. It could mean Kliff Kingsbury‘s seat warms up. Again, I don’t want to make it seem like I’m being a hater, but holy shit – that’s a lot of money. I’m not saying Murray isn’t worth getting paid, and I’m not saying he’s incapable of performing under pressure, but I wonder if getting paid THAT much is going to create a level of pressure for -everyone- involved that they’re going to struggle with. It’s going to be an interesting time for Cardinals fans to watch their team, for sure. The clock is ticking.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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