Analyst: Kyler Murray Has Fresh Slate With Cardinals

ARIZONA -- Even with vocal support from prominent members within the organization, Kyler Murray's future with the Arizona Cardinals continues to emerge as a talking point.

Last offseason, head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort took over the first stages of an ugly - but necessary - rebuild. The Cardinals could have hit the reset button fully, trading Murray (who was still recovering from major ACL surgery) before his massive contract extension kicked in.

Yet the Cardinals have been fully supportive of Murray since the new regime arrived, and entering the 2024 season with their franchise quarterback healthy and ready to roll, they've been impressed with Murray thus far.

"He wasn't doing what he's doing right now last year. So yeah, we're going on year two - but this is really year one offseason for me where I've seen him on the field with everybody, in the weight room with everybody, lifting and meetings and all that stuff with everybody. So that's been really cool, and like I said guys, I think his game's gonna go to another level. I know it is. I've been extremely pleased with where he's at, what he's doing, the command and the leadership that he's displaying right now. I mean, I think it was the best RVA I've ever seen in my life on Wednesday, truthfully. ... Not to put a bunch of pressure on him, but he's doing extremely well."
Jonathan Gannon on Kyler Murray

Sure, GM and coach talk is a real thing. It benefits nobody for the Cardinals to talk down on Murray, trade interest or not. Often times we've seen teams "commit" to quarterbacks (Josh is our guy, remember?) before reversing course.

Yet there's a different tone around Murray. For as much flack as the former Heisman winner has caught in recent years, the introduction of fresh faces on the coaching staff and front office has seen the quarterback emerge into the mature leader Arizona has desired on and off the field.

The future - although seemingly bright given Murray's clean bill of health and improvements on both sides of the ball - is to be determined. As Gannon has told reporters many times, the NFL is a result-oriented business. Especially in the early stages of a culture reset, if anybody can't do their job, the door is open for a potential exit.

ESPN believes 2024 provides a clean slate for Murray.

"Murray has five years left on the $230.5 million contract extension he signed two offseasons ago. He's scheduled to earn $38 million this year and already has $29.9 million in salary and bonuses guaranteed for 2025. If he's still on the roster next March, $36.8 million worth of 2026 salary and bonuses become guaranteed. If he's still on the roster in March 2026, $19.5 million in 2027 salary becomes guaranteed," wrote Dan Graziano.

"You get the picture. At some point, if Murray doesn't play up to his contract, the Cardinals will have to make a decision and bite some sort of big dead-money bullet.

"There has been absolutely no indication from GM Monti Ossenfort or coach Jonathan Gannon since the two of them got to Arizona last offseason that they aren't committed to Murray. The Cardinals were very happy with the way Murray came back from a torn ACL and played last season. They went into this offseason believing they had their guy at quarterback and didn't hesitate to select the draft's top wide receiver (Marvin Harrison Jr.) to help him.

"Murray is still just 26 years old, and the ill feelings between him and the previous Cardinals administration don't seem to have carried over to the new one. I honestly think Murray has a clean slate and an opportunity to stick in Arizona for a long time. And given what has happened to the quarterback market since Murray signed his extension, his salary numbers aren't even particularly onerous for the Cards."

It's believed the slate was wiped clean for Murray last year, though the national perspective is just catching up.

While there's no doubting he'll need to show something of progress in 2024, it sure feels like Murray's in the plans for the future in the desert.