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Getty GLENDALE, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 31: Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals congratulates Kyler Murray #1 after throwing a second-half touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium on October 31, 2019 in Glendale , Arizona. 49ers won 28-25. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Tension continues to mount regarding the contract dispute between the Arizona Cardinals and Kyler Murray this summer. It’s unclear when the two will come to terms on a contract, as it appears Murray is doing everything he can to secure the best possible deal he can get.
It’s apparent that some in the Cardinals’ front office may not exactly agree with Murray’s role in the team’s future. Though this hasn’t stopped a number of people from speaking positively on Murray’s behalf. Most recently it was Larry Fitzgerald, arguably the greatest of all time for the Cardinals franchise.
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Fitzgerald thinks the Cardinals’ Murray is the real deal
Earlier this week, Fitzgerald joined NFL Total Access and spoke briefly about Murray and the Cardinals’ upcoming season. “Obviously schedules are tough early in the season, I know they’re going to be without Hop (DeAndre Hopkins), but I know Kyler has the skill and the strength to be able to pick this team up,” Fitzgerald said. when asked about the 2022 campaign. Fitzgerald, who played his last two seasons with Murray’s leadership under center, can surely attest to the skill and leadership that Murray brings.
Fitzgerald understands what it’s like to play with Murray, who has arguably improved since the last time they played together. In their time together between 2019 and 2020, Fitzgerald recorded 129 receptions for 1,213 yards and five touchdowns.
Cardinals will need to avoid falling apart in Hopkins’ absence again
According to Sharp Football Analysis, Arizona had the ninth-toughest schedule in 2022. The first six weeks of the season that Hopkins is absent due to suspension will be crucial. In those weeks they will face four playoff teams from last year, including the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.
“He has immense talent,” Fitzgerald said of Murray. “He’s a guy that everyone in the league has to prepare for differently. He brings in Marquise Brown, Zach Ertz is now entering his second year, better acclimated with the system. James Conner is completely healthy since the beginning of the year. I really like where they are positioned.”
It’s well known that Cardinals management has gone to great lengths to keep the talent around Murray, no matter the costs. Brown, Ertz and Conner are no exception, and they will certainly carry a heavy load while Hopkins is sidelined for the first six games of the year. However, Arizona went 3-4 without Hopkins in the 2021 campaign that collapsed under the pressure. Hopkins’ absence ensures that Murray will have to perform better this season and get the ball into the hands of his attacking midfielder as quickly and often as possible.
This is an excellent opportunity for Murray to silence doubters and fuel his pre-draft comparisons by outperforming his previous seasons. At the end of the day, it all comes back to Murray’s impending contract decision because without him he won’t be able to confidently lead the team to the destination that awaits them.
“There is no one in the game that is so talented, with such a diverse array of skills in terms of athleticism, his ability to throw the ball left or right,” Fitzgerald described Murray’s dynamic style of play. With the backing of the legend that is Fitzgerald, Murray has once again earned the support of his peers.
Eventually, the only thing that will matter is his production on the field, but Murray could surely use the positive publicity to his advantage when it comes to his looming contract negotiations.
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