The Arizona Cardinals opened voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) Monday without quarterback Kyler Murray. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, as expected, he will not participate this week, as he and the team work on a contract extension.
This part of the offseason program is voluntary and many veterans likely will not be in attendance for everything. Nothing is mandatory until minicamp. The Cardinals will hold minicamp June 14-16.
His absence is connected to his contract. The team picked up his fifth-year option that pays him nearly $30 million next season, but this season he is only due to make around $5.5 million in combined salary and roster bonus.
He is reportedly seeking a contract extension that matches some of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, perhaps more than $40 million per year on average.
His agent issued a statement declaring Murray’s desire to win and to be the Cardinals’ quarterback and that the team needs to commit to him.
Murray has publicly stated he is not worried about his future with the Cardinals and general manager Steve Keim has said the team absolutely will not trade him.
An extension is inevitable this offseason. It is just a question of when.
Until then, it appears that he will not be participating in any voluntary part of the offseason, and there is nothing wrong with that.
If a deal isn’t done before minicamp, it will be interesting to see whether he practices. He could report and simply not practice.
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