Why the Arizona Cardinals had to give Kyler Murray whatever he wanted

TEMPE, Ariz. — Kyler Murray lastly obtained the contract he needed on Thursday, and the Arizona Cardinals lastly obtained the quarterback stability they have been in search of for many years.

The Cardinals did not have a alternative.

Murray’s five-year extension, price $230.5 million with $160 million assured, will hold him below contract by the 2028 season. If he performs the size of the deal, he’ll grow to be the second-longest-tenured quarterback in franchise historical past behind Jim Hart, who performed 18 seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1966 to 1983.

That is one of many principal causes Arizona needed to give Murray a deal.

Quarterback stability and longevity have lengthy been a difficulty for the Cardinals since their transfer to Arizona in 1988. Carson Palmer and Kurt Warner every performed 5 years for Arizona, and Jake Plummer performed six. Murray can change that narrative, and the Cardinals knew that.

So did Murray.

In principle, the Cardinals had decisions when it got here to Murray. They might have waited to see how the two-time Professional Bowler performed this season, then found out his contract scenario through the 2023 offseason. Or they might have determined to maneuver on. In actuality, ready wasn’t viable.

One of many largest liabilities within the NFL is trying behind door No. 2, particularly relating to quarterbacks. Arizona might’ve moved on from Murray and drafted a quarterback, signed a veteran in free company or opted for one more possibility on the roster, however that might’ve saved the Cardinals in the identical cycle of mediocrity.

Murray held all of the leverage when it got here to his contract. Murray by no means talked about a holdout, however coach Kliff Kingsbury apprehensive throughout June’s minicamp that it was a chance. Murray and his crew knew all about Arizona’s historical past and what he had already achieved for the franchise by main it to year-over-year-over-year enchancment after it hit all-time low in 2018, going 3-13. That season led to the Cardinals taking Murray with the No. 1 decide within the 2019 NFL draft.

Murray hasn’t been good in his three years with the Cardinals, however he has been pretty much as good as, if not higher than, another quarterback they’ve ever had. He is the one participant in NFL historical past with 70 landing passes and 20 dashing touchdowns in his first three seasons. He is the one Cardinals quarterback to throw for 3,500 yards and 20 landing passes in three straight seasons.

His 13,266 mixed passing and dashing yards is the third most in league historical past throughout a participant’s first three seasons. That whole ranks behind solely Andrew Luck and Cam Newton. Add in his two Professional Bowl nods and his Rookie of the 12 months trophy in 2019 and the Cardinals simply paid one of many higher quarterbacks within the NFL.

Murray, nonetheless, comes with a number of considerations. He has suffered accidents the previous two seasons, impacting not simply how he performed however the trajectory of the Cardinals’ season. A excessive ankle sprain final season derailed what might’ve been an MVP-caliber marketing campaign. His Complete QBR (65.1), completion share (73%) and yards per try (8.9) in September and October final season had been all ranked within the prime 5. For the remainder of the yr all of them dropped (47.5, 65% and 6.7, respectively).

Kingsbury has lengthy talked about Murray bettering his physique language on the sector, going so far as displaying the quarterback movies of how Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Russell Wilson conduct themselves.

Regardless of the considerations surrounding him, Murray has stood out together with his play, whether or not it is a juke, run or throw. He confirmed he might make the robust passes this season, with a completion share 3.9% increased than anticipated — the second-highest mark amongst certified quarterbacks behind Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow.

Murray’s contract extension brings expectations. Arizona has struggled to complete the previous two seasons, wrapping up 2020 by shedding 5 of its remaining seven and 6 of its remaining 9, after which ending final season by dropping 4 of its final 5, together with an embarrassing blowout within the wild-card spherical to the Los Angeles Rams.

To show Murray was worthy of a contract — one that provides him the second-highest assured cash behind Deshaun Watson ($230 million) and the second-highest common per yr behind Rodgers ($50.3 million) — Murray must do greater than get Arizona again to the postseason in 2022. He must win a playoff recreation. At the least one. That will not be simple with out his finest offensive playmaker, large receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who’s suspended for the primary six video games of the season, to not point out bucking the latest historical past of going right into a tailspin within the second half of seasons.

Murray earned his cash and was going to get it in some unspecified time in the future.

Now he has to point out he is price it.