Kyler Murray’s salary is $37 million this season, but the Arizona Cardinals quarterback has a chance to add to that with a solid rushing performance in Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Murray’s contract includes a salary escalator each season of $750,000 if he runs for at least 600 yards and scores six rushing touchdowns.
In the first 16 games, Murray has rushed for 550 yards and reached the end zone five times. So, gaining 50 yards Sunday and scoring one rushing touchdown would add $750,000 to his $18 million guaranteed salary for 2025 and increase his salary-cap charge to over $44 million.
Other compensation Murray will receive next year is a guaranteed $11.9 million roster bonus, $1,857,500 offseason workout bonus and a maximum $850,000 roster bonus ($50,000 per game). He has the same per-game roster bonus this year, but the workout bonus for 2025 increases from the $1 million it was in 2023 and 2024.
Murray isn’t the only Cardinals player hoping to put more money in his pocket Sunday.
Outside linebacker Zaven Collins has 4.0 sacks and getting at least one against the 49ers would net him a $300,000 incentive.
Of course, what Murray and Collins have on the line is peanuts compared to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. He can earn non-guaranteed salary escalators worth almost half his $12.7 million salary this season if three things happen in the team’s game against the Rams.
- A victory would be the 10th of the season for the Seahawks and that would be worth $2 million for Smith.
- Currently with 4,097 yards, if he passes for at least 185 yards, that would be another $2 million. The significance of passing for 4,282 yards is that was his career high in 2022.
- Finally, Smith would make another $2 million if his completion percentage ends up being 69.7. It currently is 70.2.
If he hits all three levels, Smith would have another $6 million added to his 2025 salary.
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