Kyler Murray wants to remain an Arizona Cardinal, but he wants a long-term commitment from the franchise.
Three days after Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill made it known Murray was part of the team's "long-term plan," the quarterback's agent Erik Burkhardt on Monday released a lengthy statement obtained by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport that stated Murray "absolutely wants to be" the Cardinals' long-term quarterback, but "it is now simply up to the Cardinals to decide if they prioritize" signing him to an extension.
The offseason has featured an Instagram cleanse by Murray that was rather cryptic and reports that those within the franchise sought better maturity and leadership from Murray, but on Friday NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero reported that at the heart of any friction is how the club approaches an extension.
Murray is heading into the fourth season of his rookie contract and due roughly $5.5 million with the team likely to pick up his extension, but the quarterback obviously prefers a lucrative extension.
Bidwill said that getting an extension worked out "is a complicated process, and it takes some time," but it's clear Murray's representation believes the club has prioritized "committing to other areas" and thus far has only been talking "about addressing Kyler's long-term future."
This is the latest in an offseason saga with Murray and the Cardinals that's largely played out on social media and media reports.
NFL Network's Jane Slater reported Thursday that the club and quarterback were on the same page and working toward a new deal, but it appears Murray and Co. want more action than talk.
The statement is a curious look after the 24-year-old Murray posted on social media Feb. 14 that "all of this nonsense is not what I'm about." Prior to that statement, it was reported by Garafolo that the Cardinals were hoping for Murray to make progress with his maturity and leadership.
The report followed Murray scrubbing his Instagram account of any and all Cardinals references after he played in the Pro Bowl on Feb. 6. The team followed that up with its own social media scrub.
Simply put, Monday's statement indicated Murray wants to win a Super Bowl, wants to be a part of the franchise for a long time to come and desires a long-term contract commitment from the club. None of those declarations seem all that novel, so it's at least somewhat puzzling why there was a need for a public statement.
Nonetheless, there are no cryptic messages anymore. Murray has clearly stated what he wants from the Cardinals.
