Fantasy Football

Kyler Murray and the State of the Cardinals Franchise

By Lawrence Iacona

Posted on February 3, 2023

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Last July, Kyler Murray, and the Arizona Cardinals agreed to a five-year $230.5 million contract extension including a $29,035,000 signing bonus and $160,000,000 guaranteed. The most intriguing and talked about part of his contract was the addendum which included Kyler completing four hours of independent study each game week. After heavy criticism, the independent study clause was taken out of this contract.

It is known that Murray is a passionate Call of Duty player who plays the game on a regular basis. Call of Duty is a multiplayer First-Person Shooter (FPS) game that was first released in 2003. He’s a solid player and probably knows warzone 2 hacks for pc. Having a hobby that you enjoy, and you play during your free time is healthy for an individual’s mental health.

Recapping the 2022 Season

The Arizona Cardinals had a horrific 2022 season that started without their number 1 wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins who was suspended for six games last June for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) Policy. The season also included Murray tearing his left ACL and meniscus on December 12, 2023 during the Cardinals’ week 14 loss to the New England Patriots. The Cardinals finished the 2022 season with a record of 4-13 securing the 3^rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. As a result, the Cardinals fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury who then on January 15, 2023, purchased a one-way ticket to Thailand, not returning as a coach in the National Football League anytime soon. On December 27 2022, defensive end J.J. Watt announced that he was retiring after the 2022 season. Needless to say, the 2022 season was a complete disaster for the franchise.

Head Coaching Search

The Cardinals are one of the last two teams along with the Indianapolis Colts who have not hired a new head coach for the foreseeable future. News reports claim that quarterback Kyler Murray is playing a huge part in the coaching search. Unfortunately, rumors are swirling that a few of the candidates are “not high” on him and do not want to be “tied to the hip” of Murray for the next four years. It is truly a shame because Murray has immense potential to become great, but he needs a coach who believes in him, holds him accountable, and who can build a strong relationship with the young quarterback to help restore this franchise. I agree with ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky when he said on NFL Live that the right head coach will turn Murray’s “potential to production.” Leading candidates for the head coaching job are Bengals Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo, Steelers Line Backers Coach Brian Flores, Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka, Broncos Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Evero, Bengals Offensive Coordinator Brian Callahan, Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn, and Arizona’s own current Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph who is familiar with Murray the most.

2023 Season Preview

Not all is bad in Arizona as this year’s NFL Draft is filled with talented players who can help boost rosters lacking at any position. With the Cardinals holding the 3^rd overall pick, they are put in a good spot to choose either defensive tackle Jalen Carter from the University of Georgia or outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. from the University of Alabama. The right choice for the Cardinals with this selection is to draft Will Anderson Jr. who is a premiere edge rusher who finished his college career with 204 total tackles, 34.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 touchdown and will most likely be Watt’s replacement. This offseason is important for the Cardinals to start their rebuild to get the franchise back on track and be able to compete for a championship. Along with the 3^rd overall pick, the Cardinals hold four more draft picks. One way for the team to acquire additional draft picks that they desperately need is to trade wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins who has stated multiple times that he “wants out” out of Arizona and is actively looking to be traded at the moment.

NFL Media reporter Ian Rapoport stated that Murray “would take his time” and “not rush” his recovery from his torn left ACL and meniscus injury until it “healed perfectly.” Implies that he may not be ready to play at the start of the 2023 season, there are many questions remaining this offseason that the Cardinals franchise needs to answer including Murray’s maturity and injury recovery timeline, who will be their next head coach, how will they rebuild the roster, and who will replace J.J. Watt.