Arizona Cardinals, Kyler Murray agree on 5-year, $230M contract extension

The Cardinals and Kyler Murray have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension that will keep the quarterback signed with the team through 2028 and will make him the highest-paid player in franchise history.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s a $230.5 million deal that includes $160 million guaranteed and makes Murray the second highest-paid quarterback in the league with an average salary of $46.1 million per year.

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers ($50.3 million) has the highest annual salary in the NFL. Murray’s guaranteed salary of $160 million ranks second only to Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson ($230 million).

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated’s MMQB reports the breakdown in Murray’s new deal includes the following: $105 million fully guaranteed, $161.7 million injury guarantee, $29.035 million signing bonus, $30 million in 2022, $39 million in 2023, $38.85 million in 2024, and is worth a total of $265.69 million over the next seven years.

It’s the largest contract any player has ever signed with the Cardinals, besting the seven-year, $113 million deal given to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald in 2011. The previous largest contract signed by a quarterback in Cardinals’ history was a five-year, $62.1 million deal for Kevin Kolb following his acquisition from the Eagles in a 2011 trade.

The biggest contract in NFL history belongs to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who signed a 10-year deal worth $450 million in 2020.

NFL's highest-paid players in 2022: Kyler Murray climbs list ranking players by salary

Murray’s new deal puts an end to all the speculation and worries that the quarterback would stage a holdout and refuse to report to training camp. Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters last month that he was convinced a contract was in the works for Murray but added, “I’m just praying (it gets down) before training camp.”

It did. The Cardinals report to State Farm Stadium for their 35th training camp in Arizona on July 26. Rookies, including quarterbacks, reported on Thursday.

Murray, who turns 25 on Aug. 7, reported to one of three voluntary offseason mini-camps and also participated in the Cardinals’ mandatory mini-camp last month as he awaited a new deal.

“We were always under the impression he was going to be here,” offensive lineman Justin Pugh said at the time on the Dave Pasch Podcast. “Obviously, he may not be as happy as he would be if he had a new contract, but he’s been here, which lets you know the two sides are getting closer. If it was further apart and they weren’t seeing eye to eye and things weren’t close, I don’t think he would be here.”

NFL's highest-paid quarterbacks: Kyler Murray skyrockets to No. 2 in average annual salary

Murray completed a career-high 69.2 percent of his passes last season for 3,787 yards and 24 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, helping the Cardinals finish 11-6 and return to the playoffs for the first time in six years. He also rushed for 423 yards and five touchdowns on 88 carries in being named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl.

In three seasons, he has completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 11,480 yards and 70 touchdowns with 34 interceptions and has rushed for 1,786 yards and 20 TDs on 314 carries.

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Selected No.1 overall in the 2019 draft out of Oklahoma, where he won the Heisman Trophy, Murray earned Rookie of the Year honors his first season and has been named to the Pro Bowl each of the past two seasons.

Murray became the first player in NFL history with 70 or more passing touchdowns and 20 or more rushing touchdowns in his first three seasons. His 66.86 completion percentage is the best in league history in a player’s first three years and his 1,057 completions are the second-most in league history in a player’s first three seasons.

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(This is a developing story. Check back for more information.)

Have an opinion on the Arizona Cardinals? Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic.com and follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac. Listen to him live on Fox Sports 910-AM every Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 on Calling All Sports with Roc and Manuch.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals, Kyler Murray agree on 5-year, $230M contract