You never want to create any postseason distractions for your team, but Monday, January 9 is a day that Jalen Hurts has waited for his entire career.
Starting today, players from the 2020 NFL Draft class are eligible for contract extensions and those discussions or deals can happen at any point now.
Hurts is a Pro Bowl quarterback, and MVP candidate.
The NFL is all about loading up on young, dynamic talent, and as Philadelphia continues to reload at key positions, Hurts is the one player in the NFL to watch.
A 2020 second-round pick, Hurts won’t have to worry about a fifth-year option before he can cash out and 2023 will be the final year of his rookie contract.
Howie Roseman is all about striking first and since the Eagles’ third-year quarterback’s trajectory has risen to elite status, Philadelphia could be on the hook for even more than was initially guaranteed when they signed Carson Wentz to a new deal.
After leading the Eagles to the playoffs in back-to-back years, while also vastly improving under center, Hurts will soon be one of the top 10 highest-paid signal-callers.
Here’s an early projection of what a new deal for Hurts would look like.
We’re taking a look at how the new five-year, $245 million contract extension Russell Wilson signed with the Denver Broncos will impact Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts
Ian Rapoport reports that the Denver Broncos made some serious contract news on Thursday, agreeing with star quarterback Russell Wilson on a five-year, $245 million extension that includes $165 million in guaranteed money.
The blockbuster deal is the third-most lucrative contract in NFL history, behind only Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s $230 million and Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray’s $189.5 million.
The extension pays Wilson an average salary of $49 million, with the salary cap rising even more over the next few years.
Sources: The #Broncos and QB Russell Wilson agree to terms on a 5-year, $245M massive extension. He gets $165M guaranteed. Officially locked in.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts isn’t as talented as Russell Wilson, and he doesn’t have to be regarding a loom contract extension.
It just has to be his time.
The new deal will impact Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who could be in line for a massive extension if he can lead Philadelphia to the postseason in back-to-back years.
How Kyler Murray’s new 5-year, $230M extension with the Arizona Cardinals impacts Philadelphia Eagles’ QB Jalen Hurts
Kyler Murray will be a wealthy man after the Cardinals star agreed to a five-year extension worth $230.5 million, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks.
The deal, which runs through the 2028 season, includes $160 million guaranteed for injury, and according to Adam Schefter, Murray will make $105 million fully guaranteed upon signing the deal.
Murray’s $46.1 million average salary is the second highest in the NFL behind only Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ($50.3 million).
Murray’s new deal will impact Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who could be in line for a huge extension if he can lead Philadelphia to the postseason in back-to-back years.
As players took the field Monday for the final week of OTAs, star quarterback Kyler Murray was not present.
All eyes have been on Kyler Murray this offseason, as he and the Arizona Cardinals have been subject of contract extension rumors.
The star quarterback reported to the first day of OTAs last week, but was absent as players took the field on Monday. It is the final week of voluntary workouts, as next week the Cardinals will hold mandatory minicamp, to which Murray is expected to attend.
While the national media has overreacted on contract rumors surrounding Murray all offseason, an extension is expected to get done this year. Following the flurry of lucrative deals to other star quarterbacks in the past few months, Murray’s price tag has certainly increased since his agent’s initial proposal in February.
In particular, the Browns record-breaking five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract with Deshaun Watson shook the quarterback market, especially given his massive legal issues.
The Cardinals would be wise to get the contract done before the quarterback market inevitably continues to increase, as other stars like Russell Wilson are looking to be extended in the near future.
All appears good to this point between the Cardinals and Murray. He is their long term quarterback.
The Cardinals have yet to extend their face of the franchise in Kyler Murray. What has taken so long?
Up until this point, the Arizona Cardinals have dragged their feet in giving two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray a contract extension as he enters his fourth NFL season.
His agent, Erik Burkhardt, said in a statement earlier this offseason that he gave the team a contract offer. There was plenty of interest from Murray in being the franchise quarterback for the Cardinals for the foreseeable future.
While there is certainly an argument to be made that the manner in which Burkhardt handled the situation, going public on social media, was less than ideal, his points were still valid. To this point, Burkhardt and the Arizona Cardinals’ fanbase have watched as other teams went out and made aggressive moves that signaled a desire to win. While the offseason is far from over, and the team has a chance to turn around some of that frustration with a home run draft in a few weeks, virtually nothing has been done to this point.
It has been floated around that team owner Michael Bidwill and the Cardinals front office agreed to open contract negotiations with Murray’s camp this summer, when the team isn’t pressed for time with the draft. It is incredibly important that the team hold true to their word.
The longer this plays out, the higher the price tag could potentially rise. Wednesday morning, the Las Vegas Raiders agreed to terms on a three-year extension with quarterback Derek Carr with an average annual value of $40.5 million per year.
Cardinals probably should have gotten that Kyler deal done.
This is a rather misleading contract, as that value rounds out to around $35 million per season if the entirety of the deal is played out. The guarantees are also quite low, as Carr himself opted to take a team-friendly deal after his contract was a large contributor as to why the team had to trade star pass rusher Khalil Mack a few seasons back.
Still, the point stands that as other teams extend their respective quarterbacks, Murray’s camp can use them as leverage to earn a higher salary from the Cardinals.
This offseason has seen the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Deshaun Watson all receive lucrative deals that have increased the annual price tag of having an elite quarterback, as the Cardinals do. The Watson deal, in particular, likely drove up the price of Murray’s eventual extension with the Cards.
The likes of the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and the Broncos’ newly acquired Russell Wilson are both candidates for extensions in the near future. Bidwill and the front office would be wise to extend Murray prior to that point, should they hope to not have his price tag rise any further.
Maintaining a good relationship with star players has been a struggle at times for this Cardinal organization, particularly when it comes to contract negotiations. Extending him now helps in creating a sour relationship between the two parties.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay spoke at the NFL owners meeting, stating the team flirted with the idea of acquiring a young quarterback, a trade that would have included multiple first-round picks. Given Deshaun Watson was the only other young star that would have warranted multiple first-round selections, and the Texans blocked the division rival Colts from interviewing him, it’s safe to assume Irsay was referring to Murray.
If a perennial playoff organization is calling you about your 24-year-old quarterback, shouldn’t that give you an even greater push to realize what you have and make sure he stays put for a long time?
Following the NFL draft at the close of the month, the organization should turn all efforts to extending Kyler Murray.
Impending Patriots free agent star J.C. Jackson has felt disrespected by the team in recent weeks. Could the Cardinals make a home run addition in the coming weeks?
Part of the Arizona Cardinals’ late-season collapse in the 2021 season came due to injuries in the defensive backfield. Cornerbacks Robert Alford and Marco Wilson missed significant time down the stretch, which tested an already thin room.
Cornerback was arguably the biggest concern for the team entering 2021, given the uncertainty in starting Wilson in his rookie year and the reliance on Byron Murphy to fill the No. 1 role.
Murphy had an up-and-down season as the team’s heir to Patrick Peterson. He allowed 731 yards receiving and five touchdowns, but did manage to snag four interceptions. Overall, it was a solid season given it was his first year moving to outside cornerback full time.
The Cardinals are almost certainly going to look to add a piece to the cornerback room in two weeks time. They should look no further than New England’s J.C. Jackson.
The Patriots’ hesitancy to pay Jackson two weeks out from him becoming an unrestricted free agent is baffling. A few months prior, they traded their perennial Pro-Bowler in Stephon Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers. Gilmore and the Patriots were having contract disputes, and it was assumed the move was made with sights set on an impending lucrative deal for their younger star corner in Jackson.
Jackson appeared on NBC Sports Boston and expressed his frustrations with the team’s lack of communication on his short and long term future. The Patriots have apparently not reached out regarding a contract extension. It also appears, at this time, he will not be receiving the franchise tag after playing last season on a second-round tender.
“I guess they feel like they don’t need me,” he told Phil Berry. “I guess I can’t be that important to them. I know I am, but they’re not showing me.”
Jackson has emerged as one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL. He was selected to both the Pro-Bowl and AP second-team All-Pro in 2021. With eight interceptions last season and 25 in his career (only four seasons!), Jackson will rightfully be paid handsomely by someone, if not the Patriots.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson graded as the seventh-ranked cornerback among 116 qualified grades. He posted a 78.9 rating, a career-high.
The Patriots have historically been very cautious in giving out lucrative multi-year contracts, so it is certainly possible Jackson at least tests the open market. Is this something the Cardinals should consider, given the hefty price tag?
Steve Keim and the Cardinals executives must now navigate free agency with the inevitable extension for Kyler Murray. Handing out long-term deals to free agents is only going to get more difficult. Jackson, however, is an exception.
Free agency has been labeled fools gold by Keim in the past. This is certainly true in some cases, however there is very rarely a player of Jackson’s caliber that reaches the open market, particularly at his age.
This would get tricky, but it could be done. Spotrac has his market value at nearly $21 million per year, which would eclipse Jalen Ramsey as the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback. That wouldn’t be shocking, given the high-bidding nature of the free agency. At the very least, the Cardinals should anticipate having to pay at least $17 million per year, similar to the contracts of Marshon Lattimore (19.5) and Tre’Davious White (17.2).
On top of the Murray extension, the Cardinals have a very long list of free agents to tend to. Paying Jackson his market salary would likely spell the end for the majority of the Cardinals’ free agents time with the team. With the impending loss of Chandler Jones, however, the Cardinals may find themselves able to pay another star defender $20 million per year, as they did with their franchise all-time sack leader for a time.
Adding a 26-year-old cornerback in his prime gives the Cardinals a young, elite secondary for the next few seasons. Pairing Jackson with Budda Baker, Byron Murphy and Jalen Thompson would be extraordinary.
The Super Bowl champions and NFC runner-ups are both in your division, each with elite wide receivers. Pay J.C. Jackson.
Team owner Michael Bidwill tried to smooth things over recently but it doesn’t appear to be working.
The NFC West is the toughest division in the NFL right now. This past season, the Seahawks were the only team not to make the playoffs and everyone except the 49ers has a top-10 starting quarterback. There seems to be trouble in paradise down in the desert, though.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray recently deleted all references to the organization on his social media pages and appears unhappy with his contract situation. Team owner Michael Bidwill tried to smooth things over recently but it doesn’t appear to be working. Today, Murray’s agent released an epic all-caps screed calling the franchise out.
The TL;DR version: Murray’s agent has sent a contract proposal to the Cardinals that would A) give his client and himself a handsome payday and B) lower his cap hit for the 2022 season, helping the team improve the roster around him.
It’s still early in the offseason, so there’s a lot of time for the team and Murray to hammer things out. If he winds up demanding a trade though it’s obviously good news for the Seahawks.
Murray is the one NFL QB whose game is most similar to Russell Wilson’s. Both are highly mobile and excel at extending plays and making big-time throws, but they also walk themselves into sacks at a high rate. Still, he’s a sensational talent and is only 24 years old. Not paying him would be very-much on brand for an organization that can’t seem to shake off dysfunction no matter how good their team is.
