Another sizable quarterback extension is coming down the pipeline.
Out west, the Arizona Cardinals and Kyler Murray are reportedly on the cusp of a mega-deal that keeps the Pro Bowl quarterback with the team through 2028. Thinking about a player under contract through 2028 is wild, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter has the details:
Wow! That is a hefty chunk of change for Murray. And if you though the idea of a contract running through 2028 was mind-boggling, check out the financials.
Murray’s deal comes with an average annual value of $46.1 million, features $160 million in guarantees, and is worth up to $230.5 million. Those numbers are absolutely flooring. To be clear, this isn’t to say that Murray isn’t deserving of that kind of contract. Back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons from a dual-threat quarterback QB averaging 3,826 passing yards and 595 rushing yards per season deserves that kind of payday. But that feels like a ton of money to shell out before someone like Murray has even won a playoff game. Then again, giving out a contract like this is the ultimate sign of faith from the Cardinals organization that Murray will be leading the team to greater things throughout the duration of his deal.
I often tend to look at these extensions through Bears-colored lenses. But because Justin Fields isn’t eligible to get an extension for another two years, the proximity isn’t there to have that type of conversation. But if Fields can live up to his lofty draft status, we might be looking at Murray’s contract as something that lands on our radar as something comparable for a quarterback with immense arm talent and the ability to make plays with his leagues to match.