SATISFACTION
The Cardinals’ $230.5 million investment in Kyler Murray is largely due to their faith in what he will do on the field over the next five years. The Cardinals, based on a unique addendum to his contract, are also counting on Murray to be more of a leader in terms of game preparation.
The addendum to Murray’s new contract calls for four hours of independent study per week (h/t NFL Network) from the start of the regular season until the Cardinals’ final game of the 2022 season (including the postseason). Independent study is defined as Murray’s study material provided by the Cardinals to prepare for the upcoming game.
Murray will not receive credit for completing his independent study if he is not personally studying or viewing the material while it is playing on his device, or if he is doing something else that might distract him from studying the material. Watching TV, playing video games, and surfing the Internet were examples that would be classified as distractions.
The addendum reinforces the Cardinals’ desire to see Murray develop as a leader, both on the field and in the locker room. It also shows the franchise’s eagerness to advance beyond the wild-card round of the playoffs for the first time since 2015. The Cardinals ended the franchise’s six-year playoff drought last year before bowing out to the eventual champion Rams in the wild card round.
The extra attention to detail will only strengthen Murray’s game. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Murray has quickly become one of the league’s top quarterbacks. In 2020, Murray joined Kordell Stewart and Cam Newton as the only quarterbacks in league history to throw for at least 20 touchdowns and run for at least 10 more in the same season.
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Murray faces a unique challenge this year after DeAndre Hopkins, his leading receiver, was suspended for the first six games of the season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. While Hopkins is out, expect Murray to lean more heavily on Marquise Brown, the former Ravens tight end who was acquired via trade with Baltimore during the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Cardinals’ receiving corps also includes former Pro Bowl player AJ Green, three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz, second-year player Rondale Moore and running back James Conner, who caught 37 of 39 targets during his first year in Arizona.