The Arizona Cardinals’ offseason has been dominated by the prospect of a Kyler Murray contract extension.
It’s possible the fourth-year quarterback gets one between now and training camp, but even if that happens, General Manager Steve Keim will still have work to do.
The Cardinals have three other young, talented players — safety Jalen Thompson, cornerback Byron Murphy and wide receiver Hollywood Brown — who are eligible for contract extensions entering Year 4, and as we saw with the exploding contracts in free agency, it often behooves a team to lock up its better players sooner rather than later.
The team wanted wide receiver Christian Kirk back for 2022, but the Jaguars blew him away with a rich offer in free agency. The Cardinals broached the idea of a contract extension with running back Chase Edmonds before last season but didn’t pursue it further, and he ended up with the Dolphins.
I’m hearing the Jaguars are poised to make an aggressive push for wide receiver Christian Kirk at the outset of free agency.
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) March 14, 2022
Thompson and Murphy are two of the Cardinals’ four best defensive players, alongside safety Budda Baker and defensive end J.J. Watt. Both are heading into the final years of their contracts, and an inability to extend them before the season would increase the possibility of more young talent departures.
The Cardinals have a pretty old team considering their star quarterback is only 24, and are likely intent on keeping Murphy and Thompson in the fold, but the negotiations will be interesting.
Thompson does not have the accolades or the fanfare of fellow safety Baker, but those who watch him on a regular basis see star qualities. It would make a lot of sense for the Cardinals to secure a deal before a possible breakout season in 2022, but that could depend on Thompson’s willingness to bet on himself.
“I want to make a Pro Bowl,” Thompson recently told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “I want to make All-Pro. I want to be that guy. I understand I’m underrated and the underdog. It’s going to come with time, and with making plays. It’s going to come.”
Murphy endured a choppy rookie season but has turned himself into the team’s best cornerback, and can play nickel or outside. At 24 years old, he will almost certainly cash in on the open market if he makes it there, considering the premium paid to corners.
The Cardinals only have $29 million in cap space for 2023, but letting even one of their standout defensive backs walk would continue the talent drain that began this offseason.
Byron Murphy's going to want something similar to this I assume https://t.co/iOq0xBHC4y
— Andy Kwong (@akwong31) April 18, 2022
Hollywood Brown was a first-round pick in 2019, and thus the team has the luxury of a fifth-year option on him. Coach Kliff Kingsbury, though, recently told USA Today that the team wants to sign Brown to a long-term contract.
“We’d love to get it done,” Kingsbury told Tyler Dragon. “Hollywood is a guy that we see as a long-term answer.”
Unless the Cardinals are willing to pay him as a star, it may behoove Brown to wait a year before going to the negotiating table.
He eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in 2021, but seems to be entering a better situation in Arizona. Murray is an elite deep ball thrower, and those routes are Brown’s speciality. Additionally, DeAndre Hopkins is suspended for six games, which should make Brown the top option to begin the season.
If Brown can reach 1,100 or 1,200 receiving yards this year, he would be able to command top-tier wideout money.
Murray’s contractual situation will be the main thing to watch as training camp nears, but these other three potential extensions are important, as they will also play a big role in the makeup of the team for 2023 and beyond.
