"I'd make him sing for his supper" - NFL analyst recommends the Cardinals stop paying Kyler Murray
Chris "Mad Dog" Russo is fed up with Kyler Murray's situation with the Arizona Cardinals. It has been a tomultous offseason, in which the quarterback deleted all Cardinals-related content from his social media pages as he looks to get a bumper new contract.
Now, the former Oklahoma Sooner is skipping OTAs, and Russo has had enough. After the embarrassment of last year's playoff exit, Russo thinks Arizona should stop paying the quarterback until the 24-year-old shows up and starts playing.
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Russo, who was a guest on ESPN's "First Take," made his feelings about Murray's situation very clear.
Russo said:
"If I was Arizona, I'd make him sing for his supper. I would never pay him until he goes out there this year and puts last year behind him and gives us a playoff win, plays great football."
"I have major problems with Murray, I used to like Murray an awful lot. I'm not sure how good he is right now. So if I was on that ball club,[if] I was a general manager, I'd say, 'You're not getting your money.'"
The expectation surrounding the situation is that the 24-year-old will not play a single down until a new deal is reached. It is reported that Murray is wanting the same amount of money that Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr received, which was a three-year, $40 million-a-year deal.
Kyler Murray and Cardinals at loggerheads over deal
If the reports are true, and the 24-year-old wants $40 million a year, is he worth it? Many would say no, but the NFL is a business, and players are worth what they can get. In reality, only a handful of quarterbacks can fully justify being paid that amount a year, and for many, that isn't the former Oklahoma star.
The Cardinals started last season in a blaze of glory, winning their first seven games of the year before the inevitable collapse down the stretch as they finished the season with an 11-6 record. They were, then, embarrassed by eventual Super Bowl champs, the L.A. Rams, 34-11 in the Wildcard Round of the playoffs as the 24-year-old completed 19 of his 34 passes for 137 yards, two interceptions and zero touchdowns.
I still firmly believe all of this ends with Kyler Murray signing a contract that will pay him upwards of $43 million per season for the Arizona Cardinals.
There is still a lot to play out, and no one can see how Arizona and their quarterback won't come to an agreement; it will simply be who blinks first.