Cardinals GM Steve Keim downplays Kyler Murray assertion about long-term deal: ‘It is an agent doing his job’

The NFL offseason is younger, nevertheless it’s already been a bizarre one for the Arizona Cardinals. Star quarterback Kyler Murray scrubbed his social media and “unfollowed” the staff final month, after which ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that Murray had been described as “self-centered,” “immature” and somebody who factors fingers. This saga appeared to succeed in a climax Monday, when Murray’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, launched an odd assertion a few new contract.

Burkhardt posted the letter he wrote to the Cardinals, which said that Murray desires to be Arizona’s long-term quarterback, and that he “desperately” desires to win the Tremendous Bowl. That wasn’t the purpose of the prolonged observe, nevertheless, because the assertion mentioned Murray is on the lookout for a brand new deal. Burkhardt additionally claimed that his camp despatched a “detailed contract proposal” to the Cardinals that apparently supplies monetary safety, displays the present quarterback market and lowers Murray’s wage cap quantity. 

Cardinals basic supervisor Steve Keim and the entrance workplace do not need to stay within the headlines in relation to this example, nevertheless it seems like Murray’s camp is ok residing there till it will get what it desires. Keim spoke to reporters on the NFL Scouting Mix on Tuesday, and he mentioned that whereas the 2 sides have not spoken in a few days, there was dialogue. So far as the assertion goes, Keim did not need to make it greater than it already is.  

“I believe it is an agent doing his job,” mentioned Keim. “I’ve a number of respect for Erik Burkhardt and clearly Kyler Murray. From my standpoint, it is at all times been shifting ahead any sort of hypothesis, any negotiations, any conversations and dialogue will likely be definitely held confidential between the three of us.”

Keim was then requested what he thought when he noticed the assertion. He once more reiterated that he thought it was an agent doing his job. 

“I believe all people has totally different types, and so long as I have been doing this it is a type of issues that it’s important to perceive folks have alternative ways of approaching issues, and I respect that,” mentioned Keim. “You may’t get caught up in taking issues private — it’s a enterprise — and you’ve got to have the ability to separate the enterprise and the non-public aspect of it, which I believe is vital. You recognize, I’ve finished contracts with gamers individually as latest as DeAndre Hopkins and that is one of many issues we needed to speak about, to guarantee that once we sat in there collectively face-to-face that we have been going to have the ability to speak this out like grown males, and it wasn’t going to develop into private, and there weren’t going to be any emotional issues from it, and to his credit score, he did an important job.”

Keim then was requested if he was nervous there could possibly be unfavorable repercussions if the extension did not get accomplished this offseason. He responded with a easy “No.”

Publishing a press release like this on the finish of February is definitely an aggressive negotiation tactic, as quarterbacks who’re simply three years into their careers normally do not signal extensions this early. As CBS Sports activities’ John Breech identified, the earliest a deal has ever been finished for a third-year quarterback got here when Ryan Tannehill signed one in Could 2015. Murray is getting into the ultimate season of his four-year rookie deal in 2022, and Arizona can push that via 2023 by exercising his fifth-year possibility. 

This will likely be an attention-grabbing state of affairs to look at this offseason because the Cardinals should not have to increase Murray instantly, but that is precisely what he and his camp need. Included within the assertion, in daring, was “Actions communicate a lot louder than phrases on this unstable enterprise.”