Cardinals’ Kliff Kingsbury ‘praying’ Kyler Murray’s contract is settled before training camp

While Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson is notably not at the Cardinals’ minicamp, his quarterback, Kyler Murray, is dutifully taking part in camp as he looks to receive his long-awaited contract extension. Like Murray, Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury is hoping the contract situation will be resolved sometime in the very near future. 

Murray’s contract situation has been one of the NFL’s biggest offseason stories. A two-time Pro Bowler, Murray is entering the second-to-last year of his rookie contract. Murray is set to count just $11.39 million against the cap in 2022, per Spotrac, a bargain for a quarterback of his caliber. 

“I’m praying before training camp,” Kingsbury said Tuesday when asked of Murray’s contract. “I just want him there day one of training camp.”

There have been reports that Murray would not participate in training camp under his current contract, but Murray himself has not made such statements publicly. 

Murray’s specific contract demands are unknown, but it’s safe to assume that the former No. 1 overall pick wants to join the list of quarterbacks who make $40 million annually. That list currently includes Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford, and Dak Prescott. 

“We’re about to make him, I’m sure, the highest-paid player in this franchise’s history and so he understands what comes with that,” Kingsbury said, via ESPN. “The guys know what he can be at his best, and anytime we can get the whole band out there, things pick up.”

Murray has quickly helped the Cardinals return to respectability after several lean years. After enduring a 5-10-1 season as a rookie, Murray helped Arizona finish with a .500 record in 2020. Last season, the Cardinals went 11-6 and clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2015.