Kyler Murray a Part of Cardinals 'Long-Term Plan,' AZ Owner Says amid Rumored Tension

Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said Friday quarterback Kyler Murray remains in the team's plans despite rumors of tension between the sides.

Bidwill explained on Arizona Sports 98.7 radio (via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic) he's not sure whether the team will sign Murray to a contract extension this year, but that situation won't impact the overall outlook.

"The structure of it, the timing of it, it's a complicated process and it takes some time," Bidwill said. "Kyler's a part of our long-term plan."

Murray caused a stir in early February when he removed all Cardinals-related content from his Instagram page.

Last week, he posted a picture of himself in an Arizona uniform along with some comments about the recent speculation:

"I play this game for the love of it, my teammates, everyone who has helped me get to this position that believed in me and to win championships. All of this nonsense is not what I'm about, never has been, never will be. Anyone who has ever stepped between those lines with me knows how hard I go. Love me or hate me but I'm going to continue to grow and get better."

Those remarks came after ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on the dynamics of the relationship between the Cardinals and their Pro Bowl signal-caller.

Mortensen stated Murray had become "frustrated with the franchise" and felt he'd emerged as the scapegoat following the team's playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, while Arizona sources described the 2019 first overall pick as "self-centered, immature and someone who points fingers."

The 24-year-old Texas native is coming off a 2021 season where he completed 69.2 percent of his attempts for 3,787 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He added 423 rushing yards and five scores on the ground.

Murray ranked seventh in ESPN's Total QBR (57.3) and received a strong 84 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

He's entering the final season of his four-year, $35.7 million rookie contract, but the Cardinals hold a fifth-year option and also retain the franchise tag, so at minimum, he's likely four years away from becoming an unrestricted free agent, even without an extension.

Murray's emergence as a top-tier quarterback combined with his contract situation and the lack of potential replacements available in free agency or the draft makes an offseason trade an extreme long shot, so Bidwill's comments don't come as much of a surprise.

"Put me in the corner of 'I love him' and I know he's going to get better," Bidwill also said on Arizona Sports 98.7 on Friday after speaking with Murray on Thursday, per McManaman.

With no Murray deal likely on the horizon, the Cardinals' offseason will probably be focused on upgrading both the offensive and defensive lines along with adding another playmaker or two around their superstar quarterback.