With the media uproar coming from the “study session” clause leak in Kyler Murray’s $230.5M contract deafening, the Arizona Cardinals have official removed the condition. Still, it’s too late, Arizona, you can’t protect Kyler’s bad studying habits any longer.
The biggest story in the NFL this past week has come to an expected end. The Arizona Cardinals have removed the “study session” clause (which you can see in this Ian Rappoport tweet) from Kyler Murray’s contact as a way for the quarterback to “save face”. Yet, I don’t think they realize that removing this clause doesn’t make us think Kyler Murray studies more than Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.
In fact, removing it just further highlights how badly the franchise has handled this situation.
For the past three years, the entirety of Murray’s playing career, the Arizona Cardinals have known about Kyler’s study and preparation habits. In fact, head coach Kliff Kingsbury has actually known about Murray’s preparation even longer than that as he tried recruiting Murray to Texas Tech back in the pair’s college days.
Yet, neither Kingsbury nor the Cardinals’ upper management thought that Murray’s work ethic was a problem? No wonder this franchise has only made the playoffs 9 times since the Super Bowl era (ie: since 1970).
Yeah, the Cardinals have only made it to the playoffs 9/52 years. I was just as surprised to see this stat too. At least Cardinals’ fans can enjoy old reruns of their 1947 American Professional Football Association Championship win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Though, the Cardinals were actually based out of Chicago during those days, so I guess Bears fans really should get more enjoyment from that watch.
Anyway, even after three straight years of starting off strong under Murray and plummeting as the season goes on and the defenses became more complicated, the Cardinals still thought it was a good idea to pay Murray $230.5M? Even when they already knew he was (allegedly, as the contract indicates) slacking off while studying film?
That just seems like a massive oversight by Kingsbury, GM Steve Keim, and owner Michael Bidwell. Though, with that playoff record, should anyone really be surprised?
I know only $160M is guaranteed, but that is still a TON of money to pay a guy when you doubt his work ethic. Especially so considering the Cardinals were willing to void the rest of Murray’s deal if he didn’t comply with the minimum film studying time. If I was Arizona, I would have traded Murray during his holdout.
No one around the NFL (at least that we know of) knew about Murray’s bad habits before the leak. If you look at a comparable QB trade, Deshaun Watson to Cleveland, the Cardinals could have gotten 4 1st-round picks for Murray if they traded him.
Yes, the Cardinals would probably have struggled without Murray next season, but the 2023 draft has three 1st-round caliber QBs to choose Murray’s replacement from. That list includes Alabama’s Bryce Young. I don’t think Young would have survived this long under Nick Saban if he wasn’t studying film like Murray.
The Arizona Cardinals may be the longest running organization in NFL history (operating since 1898), yet that level of experience clearly hasn’t helped them gain any wisdom. This franchise is taking a massive risk by paying quarterback with a highly questionable work-ethic nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to lead this franchise to Super Bowl glory.
I could be completely wrong about Kyler, and he may win Arizona their first championship since 1947, but I don’t think I will be. I think this contract will come back and bite the Bidwell family as yet another boneheaded roster move.
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Other Sources: (Ian Rappoport Twitter) (Ian Rapoport on Twitter: “From Inside Training Camp: The #AZCardinals removed the “independent study” clause from QB Kyler Murray’s contract, meaning this is the last time we will ever, ever talk about it. https://t.co/fRE9kzkTh4″ / Twitter)
