The Cardinals handed quarterback Kyler Murray a five-year, $230.5 million extension on Thursday, ending months of fabricated drama that always seemed a tad ridiculous when getting to the heart of the matter: What were the Cardinals going to do without him?
Yet, again, the club placed itself at one of the most obvious negotiating disadvantages in recent memory. When they were trying to draft Murray in the first place, they forecasted as much to the entire NFL and then tried to trade Josh Rosen, the 10th overall pick in the 2018 draft. They ended up getting less (Miami’s No. 62 pick, plus a 2020 fifth-round selection) for Rosen then the Jets got for Sam Darnold (three draft picks) after showing the entire world that Darnold was unlikely to make it as a long-term NFL starter.
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