Kyler Murray has expressed interest in being the Arizona Cardinals' long-term quarterback, and his agent shared that message to both the team and public last month. In a lengthy statement, Erik Burkhardt explained the 24-year-old's overall position, and also offered a detailed proposal for a contract extension. In essence, a public negotiation between Murray's camp and the Cardinals.
Murray, who was selected first overall in the 2019 draft, is still playing on his rookie deal, and has a cap hit of $11.3 million in 2022. According to Spotrac, he currently has a market value $258 million across six seasons, and with an AAV of $43 million, this deal would make him the second-highest paid player and quarterback in the NFL. But is Murray really worth this projected value?
"I think around $40 million would be the number. Just because if we look at the best example, it's Wilson traded to Denver," Cardinals reporter Tyler Drake told After Hours with Amy Lawrence on Tuesday. "I think you see how much it impacted Seattle, and just the reaction alone of, 'Oh my god, we lost our guy and franchise quarterback.' One of those things -- the haves and have nots.
"We're seeing around the league right now that, if you don't have a franchise quarterback or a quarterback that's going to lead you into the next couple of years, you're behind in the arms race. They can't get anyone better than Kyler, in my opinion... I think you've got to pay him. It's about stability. Good football teams are built on stability, having that consistency within the organization."
In early February, an ESPN report said that Murray felt he was "framed as the scapegoat" for the Cardinals' ghastly wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Criticism was warranted, as he threw for only 137 yards with two interceptions and a career-low 40.9 passer rating. Murray's ugly performance also included a costly and blooper-reel pick-six, and overall, he completed only 19 passes.
During the Cardinals' seven-game winning streak from September to October, Murray posted a triple-digit passer rating six times. After Week 8, however, he reached that mark twice. For the year, Murray threw for 3,787 yards with 29 all-purpose scores, 423 rushing yards, 10 picks, and 13 own fumble recoveries.
The entire conversation between Drake and Lawrence can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow After Hours With Amy Lawrence on Twitter @ALawRadio and @AfterHoursCBS, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.