Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has yet to sign a lucrative contract extension this offseason, but it appears his holdout is over. After skipping the first week of voluntary OTA's -- in the midst of stalled contract negotiations -- Murray reported to practice at the team facility on Wednesday, which certainly can be viewed as a good-faith gesture and sign of progress, in relation to his contract discussions. In any case, it was a sight for fans' sore eyes.
Cardinals general manager Steve Keim told the "Pat McAfee Show" last week that he's optimistic about completing an extension with Murray sometime this summer, and also noted that NFL Draft prep and the free agency period made the timing of negotiations difficult. Murray's entering his fourth season, with a total cap hit of $11.3 million. And in April, NFL Media reported that the 24-year-old isn't expected to play one regular season snap unless he gets a new deal. The only question is, does Murray deserve top-flight quarterback money?
"We know that's going to happen, because they're not going to let him walk. But that's the issue, and Lamar Jackson's the same deal," longtime NFL Films producer Greg Cosell explained to the Maggie and Perloff show on Thursday. "You have to decide, are you going to let this guy walk and start from scratch, or are you going to pay him. Because it's the going rate. That's what happens. The league salary cap will continue to go up, and quarterbacks will get paid.
"But if you're asking me about Murray on tape, he's a great thrower of the ball. Very explosive runner, and where he's good is in the red zone... The height is a factor at times. He falls away from a lot of throws, but he's also done that his whole career because he's short... A very interesting guy to watch. I struggle with what I think he can become, because he's very gifted. But I think there's a little inconsistency to his game. I'm not sure how that's going to play out."
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 Arizona's seven-game winning streak from September to October, the former Heisman winner posted a triple-digit passer rating six times. But, after Week 8, he reached that mark only twice. For the season, Murray completed 69-percent of his passes for 3,787 yards with 29 all-purpose touchdowns and 423 rushing yards. He also logged 10 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries. According to Spotrac, Murray's market value is $258 million over six years.
The entire football conversation between Cosell and Maggie and Perloff can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Maggie and Perloff Show on Twitter @MaggieandPerl and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.