The start of the NFL scouting combine tends to coincide with an increase in trade rumors, with free agency just around the corner. The Arizona Cardinals may be trying to get ahead of such drama, reaffirming Kyler Murray as "our franchise quarterback" in an unprompted X post on Monday.
The announcement, featuring three pictures of Murray, comes a day after the Cardinals used their official Facebook account to convey a similar message: "There's no doubt, Kyler's our guy," was the caption to a linked story about Arizona's offseason QB plans.
There's nothing particularly revelatory about either post. Murray finished 2023 relatively strong after returning from a torn ACL, helping Arizona stay competitive in a 2-3 stretch to close the season. Head coach Jonathan Gannon has also repeatedly endorsed the former No. 1 overall draft pick as the club's future under center.
But the Cardinals' public insistence of Murray's firm standing is still notable -- firstly because Arizona infamously went above and beyond to defend former first-rounder Josh Rosen as "our guy" in 2019, only to replace him with Murray soon after. Murray, meanwhile, is arguably still trying to validate the five-year, $230 million contract he signed with Arizona in 2022. Despite two Pro Bowl nods, the 26-year-old has missed multiple games in three straight seasons, going just 28-36-1 as a starter.
