Zach Allen, Byron Murphy poised to get big paydays in free agency

Allen and Murphy are in line to get big deals with not particularly strong free agent classes at defensive line and cornerback.

The Arizona Cardinals’ top two soon-to-be free agents are defensive lineman Zach Allen and cornerback Byron Murphy. While the team would like to re-sign both, both might end up out of their price range.

According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, both are in a good position to get big contracts.

Graziano writes, “watch out for guys such as Denver’s Dre’Mont Jones, Jacksonville’s Arden Key and Arizona’s Zach Allen, who have been mentioned several times to me as players expected to draw strong interest on the open market.”

The top of the market includes Javon Hargrave, who is expected to get the biggest contract and probably not from his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles.

Fowler mentions Murphy as a potential sleeper in free agency.

He writes, “Because of a lack of depth in the draft or the free agency class, corners such as Jamel Dean, Byron Murphy Jr. and James Bradberry are well positioned.”

An average approaching $16 million per year for Murphy is quite possible.

Both Allen and Murphy were drafted by the Cardinals’ previous leadership and coaching staff.

Allen and Murphy may begin to negotiate with other teams beginning Monday.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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