Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is back in Arizona’s facility and is expected to return to the practice field for the first time during the team’s offseason program Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Murray wasn’t in attendance when the Cardinals began organized team activities last week, but coach Kliff Kingsbury said that he expected the 24-year-old to be present for the team’s mandatory minicamp, which is scheduled for June 14–16. OTAs are optional, but Murray’s appearance Wednesday will surely be welcome news for Arizona, given the ongoing contract negotiations between the quarterback and the organization.
The Cardinals exercised the fifth-year option on Murray’s contract last month, guaranteeing him a salary of about $29 million in 2023. However, the former No. 1 pick made clear in a series of moves this spring that he was seeking a long-term extension with the franchise.
In February, Murray scrubbed any mention or image of the Cardinals from both his Twitter and Instagram. At the time, it was unclear what prompted the move.
Later that month, Murray’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, posted a letter on Twitter urging the Cardinals to prioritize reaching a long-term deal with Murray. The quarterback then tweeted in April that Arizona is ‘home’ and that he wants to win Super Bowls there.
That same day, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim told reporters there was “zero chance” the team would trade Murray, quieting any doubts that the organization would move on from the 2019 No. 1 pick.
Murray, the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year, was sharp last season as he led Arizona to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. En route to his second Pro Bowl nomination, he threw for 3,787 yards and rushed for 423 yards, scoring 29 total touchdowns in 14 regular season games.
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