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The Arizona Cardinals announced offensive lineman Justin Murray signed a two-year contract extension on Friday. He was playing this season on a one-year exclusive rights tender and was scheduled to become a restricted free agent in 2021.
Now he is signed through 2022 and gets a big pay raise.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the contract extension is worth up to $9 million.
The #AZCardinals agreed to terms with OL Justin Murray on a 2-year extension worth $9M max, source said. The former undrafted free agent has found a home.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 2, 2020
Murray makes $750,000 this season.
The total of $9 million certainly includes incentives but, even with those, it is a great deal for Murray. It shows the Cardinals view him as a starter beyond 2020. He started 12 games at right tackle in 2019 and currently is their first lineman off the bench.
He got playing time both at left and right guard on Sunday and, based on the contract, appears in line to become the team’s starting right guard in 2021. Current starter J.R. Sweezy will be a free agent after this season.
Murray entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2016 and bounced around the league before last season. He was claimed off waivers by the Cardinals before the 2019 season and Arizona was his sixth team.
Murray worked hard, took advantage of his opportunities and won over the Cardinals coaches.
To go from a player no one knew about when he was acquired to what appears to be a starter next year, he has become a great NFL story.
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