Cardinals' Kyler Murray Threatening To Hold Out 2022 NFL Season

The Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray have been at odds for some time now, and it now seems that things are coming to a head.

NFL reporter Tom Pelissero provided an important update regarding the matter recently about Murray’s extension or lack thereof, and it could see the Pro Bowler hold out for the season.

“The Cardinals have yet to make a contract offer to Pro Bowl QB Kyler Murray, whose agent, Erik Burkhardt, informed the team weeks ago he was pulling his opening proposal off the table, per sources,” Pelissero wrote.

The Cardinals’ dilemma stems from the fact that this offseason market for quarterback extensions has been as lucrative as ever, a fact that Pelissero pointed out in a separate tweet.

“Four QBs (quarterback) – Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr–have signed contract extensions worth $40 million or more in the past month as the market continues to go up. Murray is due about $5.5 million in 2022, and it’d be a surprise if he plays on that deal,” the reporter stated.

It can be argued that the Cleveland Browns’ decision to guarantee all $230 million of Deshaun Watson’s five-year extension messed up the market for most franchises as other quarterbacks will be looking for a deal close to that amount in their respective extensions.

This potentially includes Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, but the most evident aftereffect of it is hitting the Cardinals harder than any other franchise.

Murray, who has been playing great thus far into his three-year NFL career, has almost always gotten some type of injury throughout a season which may be the reason why the Cardinals front office is so hesitant to give him such a lucrative contract.

In his rookie season back in 2019, Murray suffered a hamstring injury in Week 16, while this past season, he dealt with an ankle injury prior to Week 8 and missed three weeks before making his grand return in Week 13.

The young quarterback was also dubbed as “self-centered and immature” after losing to the Los Angeles Rams during the playoffs.

With the draft being only two weeks away, teams around the league will certainly be monitoring this development with much interest as Murray could suddenly become available if things fall through between him and the organization.