For the Arizona Cardinals it is about taking advantage of their quarterback on a rookie contract.
Kyler Murray is a blossoming star, already winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and making a Pro Bowl in his first two seasons in the NFL.
He is the real deal.
Meaning he will command a real deal contract in two years.
The Arizona Cardinals understand that and they are going after it, as Pro Football Focus acknowledged in their “One positive takeaway for all 32 NFL teams so far” article.
ARIZONA CARDINALS: THEY’RE PUSHING THE WINDOW WITH KYLER MURRAY ON HIS ROOKIE CONTRACT
It’s no secret that having a quality starting quarterback on a rookie contract is one of the biggest advantages for a franchise from a team-building perspective. The Cardinals have that in Murray, and the moves they’ve made this offseason indicate that they’re trying to maximize how long that window stays open.
Arizona strengthened its defensive front with the addition of J.J. Watt (85.4 PFF grade in 2020) and the retention of Markus Golden. They strengthened their offensive line by trading for Rodney Hudson (two sacks allowed in the past five seasons) and the re-signing of Kelvin Beachum. On top of that, the Cardinals added a second former 2011 first-round selection — A.J. Green…
With the Cardinals understanding the two-year window they are in with Kyler Murray, going aggressively with older players is a good way to pursue that goal.
The question is, can the Cardinals put enough young talent into the system that once those aging stars are done, can the Cardinals continue to be good?
However, as of now the Cardinals are going aggressively after that small window, let’s hope they can find it.