Kyler Murray has changed the position of the quarterback for the Cards. There is a time and a place for this.
Kyler Murray finally got the contract he wanted on Thursday, and the ArizonaCardinals finally got the quarterback stability they've been seeking for decades.
TheCardinals did not have a choice.
Murray's five-year extension will keep him under contract through the 2028 season. He will become the second-longest tenured quarterback in franchise history if he plays the full length of the deal.
Arizona gave Murray a deal because of that.
Since moving to Arizona in 1988, quarterback stability and longevity has been a problem for the Cards. Jake Plummer played six years for Arizona. The narrative can be changed by Murray.
Murray did the same thing.
The possibilities were there when it came to Murray. They could have waited to see how the two-time Pro Bowler played this season, then figured out his contract situation in the next year. They could have moved on. It wasn't feasible to wait.
When it comes to quarterbacks, looking behind door No. 2 is one of the biggest problems in the league. The Cards could've moved on from Murray and drafted a quarterback, signed a veteran in free agency or opted for another option on the roster, but that would've kept them from becoming a consistent winner.
When it came to his contract, Murray had all the power. Murray didn't mention a holdout, but coach Kliff Kingsbury was worried that it was a possibility. Murray and his team were aware of Arizona's history and what he had already done for the franchise by leading it to a year-over-year improvement after it hit rock bottom. Murray was taken with the top pick in the draft by the Cards.
Murray has not been perfect, but he has been as good as any other quarterback they have ever had. In his first three seasons, he had 70 touchdown passes and 20 rushing touchdown. He has thrown for 3,500 yards and 20 touchdown passes in the last three years.
His 13,266 combined passing and rushing yards are the third most in league history. Andrew Luck and CamNewton are the only other people with that amount. The Cards just paid one of the better quarterbacks in the league after his two Pro Bowl nods and his Freshman of the Year trophy.
Murray has a few questions. The trajectory of the Cards' season has been impacted by the injuries he has suffered. The campaign was derailed by an ankle injury. The total QBR, completion percentage, and yards per attempt were all ranked in the top 5. They all went down for the rest of the year.
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Murray has long been talked about improving his body language on the field, going as far as showing quarterbacks videos of how they conduct themselves.
Murray has stood out with his play despite the concerns surrounding him. He showed he could make the tough passes with a completion percentage that was 3.9% higher than expected.
Expectations are brought about by the contract extension of Murray. Arizona finished the past two seasons by losing five of its final seven and six of its final nine, and then dropping four of its last five, including an embarrassing loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Murray needs to do more than get Arizona back to the playoffs in order to prove he was worthy of a contract. He needs a win in the playoffs. It's at least one. It won't be easy without his best offensive player, wide receiver DeANDRE HOPKINS, who is suspended for the first six games of the season, not to mention bucking the history of going into a tailspin in the second half of the season.
Murray was going to get his money one day.
He has to prove he is worth it.
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