Kyler Murray Wins 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of Year Award over Josh Jacobs

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray won the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

The No. 1 draft pick in the 2019 NFL draft flew under the radar a bit in his first season. He didn't post historic numbers, and the Cardinals only won five games en route to a fourth-place finish in the NFC West. Both factors probably deflected attention away from his performance.

Arizona made a big investment in Murray. Beyond taking him with the first overall selection, the team moved on from 2018 first-rounder Josh Rosen after only one year.

Kliff Kingsbury's hiring predated Murray's arrival but effectively happened on the same continuum. With Kingsbury coming aboard, getting a quarterback with mobility and experience in a spread offense was the obvious next step.

In general, Murray vindicated the Cardinals' offseason decisions.

The 2018 Heisman Trophy winner threw for 3,722 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while running for 544 yards and four touchdowns. Football Outsiders ranked him 21st in DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement) among the 34 quarterbacks with at least 200 attempts.

Pro Football Focus' Steve Palazzolo explained why the team should feel encouraged with his performance:

"Murray showed off the zip and touch that made him the No. 1 overall pick, and he finished the season ranking No. 18 in big-time throw percentage and earning the sixth-best grade on 20-plus yard throws. When combining that with his 69.6 rushing grade and 544 yards on the ground (341 in the designed run game, 225 on scrambles), it's easy to see how Murray will create big-play offense throughout his career."

Murray's 48 sacks were tied for highest in the league, which is an obvious concern. They weren't entirely surprising, though, given both his inexperience and propensity to scramble in the pocket. Russell Wilson has been sacked 347 times since entering the league in 2012 yet remains one of the game's best quarterbacks.

Nothing from Murray's performance should give Arizona second thoughts about making him the franchise quarterback. Now it's up to the front office to surround him with a better offensive line and dynamic pass-catchers to help him continue his development.