What does the future hold for the Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray? General manager Steve Keim sees a contract extension in the near future.
Keim spoke on the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday and expressed optimism that a heal would get done. Keim noted that past contract extensions for quarterbacks have been signed between July and September and said it’s “no different for us.”
"Kyler Murray is our future & I feel like we'll be able to get something done this summer" ~Steve Keim#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/5E9cdUlOwQ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 25, 2022
NFL fans were optimistic about the future of Murray in Arizona after hearing Keim’s comments.
Steve Keim seems confident that Kyler Murray will get paid before the season starts.
I like what I’m hearing from this quote, now let’s see it actually happen. https://t.co/6wJ81Gr3mz
— Austin Hepola (@AustinHepola) May 25, 2022
Video or it didn't happen:https://t.co/Db7TaH2PUX
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) May 25, 2022
This is the type of thing Keim says/does before a deal gets announced the next day. https://t.co/2jumP4ZVjQ
— PHX Fans (@PHXFansAZ) May 25, 2022
It’s been a turbulent offseason for Murray and the Cardinals. Some actions would suggest that Murray is unhappy with (or at least uneasy about) his current situation But he’s also said that he wants to remain in Arizona. The Cardinals, for their part, picked up his fifth-year option and upgraded the receiving corps, reuniting Murray with his Oklahoma teammate, speedster Marquise Brown.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus recently projected that Murray’s extension would be for six years at $280 million, with $155 million guaranteed. There’s reason to think that would be a good investment for the Cardinals — but also some cause for concern.
Murray has generally shown improvement in each of his first three seasons. In 2021, he completed 69.2% of his passes for 3,787 yards with 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 100.6 passer rating. He also ran for 423 yards with five touchdowns.
The Cardinals have also shown steady improvement in his first three seasons. They were 3-13 the year before he arrived, 5-10-1 in his rookie year of 2019, 8-8 in 2020 and 11-6 in 2021, reaching the playoffs. In that playoff game, though, Murray had a rocky performance and the Cardinals were trounced 34-11. Arizona also struggled down the stretch, finishing the season with a 4-6 record after starting 7-0.
