National Football League

Kyler Murray sends contract proposal to Cardinals

Published Feb. 28, 2022 11:57 a.m. ET

The offseason soap opera surrounding the Arizona Cardinals and star quarterback Kyler Murray took another turn Monday morning, with Murray pushing the action in a new direction.

Murray's agent Erik Burkhardt kicked off the week by releasing a lengthy statement, saying his client has sent a detailed contract proposal to the Cardinals. He also made the assertion that the team needed long-term stability in order to compete for championships, and that that was what his client was offering.

Murray is set to make roughly $5.4 million in the coming season, with a base salary of $965,000 and a roster bonus of $4,524,360, according to Spotrac. The roster bonus is fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the league year.

Burkhardt did not provide specifics about Murray's contract proposal, but claimed it is "in line with the current quarterback market," and would lower his 2022-23 salary cap number ($11.38 million) to allow the Cardinals to re-sign "other deserving teammates and add additional free agents."

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Burkhardt says the ball is in the Cardinals' court: "Kyler remains hopeful that the organization chooses to commit so that he can continue leading the Cardinals to further success and value for many years to come."

Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, was the Rookie of the Year in 2020 and followed that up with back-to-back Pro Bowl nods.

In three seasons, he has completed 66.9% of his passes for 11,480 yards, 70 touchdowns and 34 interceptions. His career passer rating is 93.9 including 100.6 last season. He has also proven to be quite dangerous with his legs, rushing for 1,786 yards and 20 touchdowns across his three seasons.

Murray's offseason has been marked by drama, however, including a report claiming the team wanted him to improve his leadership and maturity, followed by Murray cryptically cleansing his Instagram page of any references to his team.

Last week, Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill went on a radio show to say he wanted Murray to be a part of his team's long-term plans: "Put me in the category that I love him, and I know he's going to get better."

Now, Murray and his agent appear to be telling Bidwill it's time to put his money where his mouth is.

"Kyler remains hopeful that the organization chooses to commit so that he can continue leading the Cardinals to further success and value for many years to come," Burkhadt wrote.