"They were backed into a corner" - Skip Bayless claims the Cardinals were forced to hand Kyler Murray a contract
The Arizona Cardinals were forced to hand Kyler Murray a monster new deal, according to Fox Sports' Undisputed's Skip Bayless. The NFC franchise gave Murray a brand new five-year, $230.5 million deal to remain with the organization.
The new deal was expected as no one really believed that the Cardinals would let the former number one pick simply walk out the door. While there has been some success for Murray and the Cardinals, there have been some issues with the 24-year-old also. For instance, his study habits and his body language on the field when things get tough.
Bayless believes that the Cardinals were in a no-win situation regarding the new contract for their quarterback and went as far as saying the organization was 'backed into a corner' over the deal.
“I told you 24 hours ago, sitting in this seat, it sure seems to me that Arizona did this deal with clinched teeth. That’s what I said, with clinched teeth, because they did, they were damned if they did and damned if they didn’t.
"They were stuck, they were backed into a corner, and they finally said, we have no other way out of this, we gotta do it. We gotta give him the going rate.”
With one year remaining on his current deal, the extension will see him stay with the Cardinals for the next six seasons.
Were the Cardinals right to hand Kyler Murray a bumper deal?
Only in due time will this feel like a win or a loss for Arizona. Given Kyler Murray's talent, the Cardinals were within their rights to offer him a new deal. But for some, there are glaring issues that seem to hint that it wasn't the best idea.
Ultimately, given the lack of options at the quarterback position at Murray's level, it does seem like a no-brainer for a new contract to be offered. But there was wordage inserted into the deal that raised serious red flags.
The Cardinals stipulated that Murray needs to do four hours of independent study each week of the regular season. As some have said, needing to put this into a contract for a player slated to make $230.5 million isn't exactly ideal.
.@LRiddickESPN reacts to the Cardinals mandating Kyler Murray to four hours of weekly film study.
"The Cardinals don't trust his commitment to the game. And that is sad to me." https://t.co/f1hD3YjJQA
Watching film is a part of the job for the quarterback and it is clear that Arizona did not feel that the former Oklahoma star would do this off his own back as 99% of other quarterbacks do.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and we will only know in due time if it was the right move to give the 24-year-old a bumper new deal. However, as Bayless said, the Cardinals were damned if they did and damned if they didn't.
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