Kyler Murray Rumors: Cardinals 'Love' QB after $29.9M Contract is Guaranteed for 2025

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray had his $29.9 million salary for the 2025 season become fully guaranteed this past weekend, and an NFL insider believes it indicates how strongly the team feels about him.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote, "The Arizona Cardinals love Kyler Murray. I didn't think I'd be writing that a year ago—when everyone thought Arizona would be the worst team in the league, preparing to draft [Caleb] Williams and offload Murray in 2024—but that's where we are. And the team has now backed up the feelings it expressed on social media in a very big way."

Murray's $35.3 million salary for the 2024 season was already locked in, so the Cardinals would've faced a major penalty if they cut him, similar to what the Denver Broncos are dealing with after releasing Russell Wilson. However, the notion of getting rid of Murray apparently didn't cross any minds in Arizona.

The Cardinals established a new regime last offseason with the hiring of general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon, which led to some speculation that they might want to move in a different direction by selecting one of the top quarterback prospects in this year's talented draft class. Breer explained that Murray won over his new bosses in a multitude of ways throughout the 2023 season.

While rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered late in the 2022 campaign, Murray remained in Arizona and was at the team facility "daily" to receive treatment, "going above and beyond to work his knee back to health," per Breer.

When Murray returned for the second half of the 2023 season, he "looked like Kyler" and played some of his best ball toward the end of the year. He also completely embraced the new offensive system implemented by the first-year staff under Gannon.

The Cardinals hold the No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft after finishing with a 4-13 record, and many expect them to add a player who would benefit Murray, whether it be a receiver or an offensive tackle. Arizona is hoping to bounce back in a big way during the upcoming season.