The offense of the Arizona Cardinals has been their main struggling point, and almost all season, the team has discussed bolstering the lineup. In that process, they drafted the former Oklahoma player Kyler Murray as their first overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
However, Murray tore his ACL last season and is still on the road to recovery, leaving his team’s offense in jeopardy and causing major concerns regarding the team’s financial situation surrounding him.
Cardinals take a cautious approach to Murray’s return
Murray has been out of the team since tearing his right ACL in December against the New England Patriots. He wanted to make a comeback but the player’s luck did not favor him as Arizona Cardinals already played three games of the season placing their quarterback on the PUP list. However, Kyler’s participation is still doubtful though he will become eligible on Monday to come out from the PUP list.
Murray’s comeback will be handled cautiously, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon. He expressed they are not in a rush to use the Heisman Trophy winner by saying, “We will activate him when he’s ready to go practice. That’s what we’ll do.”
As the quarterback was out of play till the last season, the HC also urged that he could need “weeks” of practice before playing to appear on the field with full potential.
Kyler Murray’s struggles create financial headaches for Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are obligated to pay Kyler Murray even though it is still unclear if he will be ready to play in 2023. The franchise quarterback’s deal with the organization is still in effect due to a $230.5 million extension signed off-season that will start in 2024 and stretch until 2028.
Due to the uncertainty surrounding Murray’s comeback, NFL Insider Mike Florio predicted a potential setback for the Cardinals because of their best player. If Kyler Murray is unable to pass a physical examination before March, according to Florio, the Cardinals will be required to pay him $37 million in 2024, $29 million in 2025, and $26 million in 2026.
The Cardinals signed him to a sizable contract that made him the second-highest-paid player in terms of annual salary (at the time), but the player himself now has become a huge headache for the team.
