Cardinals’ Kyler Murray skipping start of offseason program amid contract dispute, trade rumors, per report

Kyler Murray is among Cardinals veterans skipping the start of the team’s 2022 offseason program, according to NFL Media, choosing instead to train on his own. While a big-name quarterback forgoing voluntary workouts is not unusual — Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have done it in recent years, and Jimmy Garoppolo is doing it this week — Murray’s absence comes amid growing tension with Arizona over halted contract talks, as well as rumors about his trade availability.

Despite publicly downplaying their dispute, Murray and the Cardinals have stopped discussing a potential long-term deal, which the QB’s agent all but demanded earlier this offseason, and other teams are reportedly monitoring the situation in the event of a possible trade. ESPN first reported after the 2021 season that Cardinals brass had concerns about Murray’s leadership, and the QB raised questions about his standing with the club when he removed all Cardinals pictures from his social media, before enlisting his agent to publicly pressure Arizona into giving him a lucrative extension. Now, Murray is not expected to suit up for the Cardinals — either in voluntary or mandatory offseason activities — without a new deal.

The former No. 1 overall pick communicated his plans to skip voluntary programming weeks ago, per NFL Media, but it’s possible that decision is related to the two sides’ failed contract talks. It was also weeks ago, Tom Pelissero previously reported, that Murray’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, told the Cardinals he was rescinding his first proposal to Arizona for a new contract.

Murray is technically under contract through 2022, and the Cardinals also control his rights through 2023 if they exercise his fifth-year option this year. The QB market has shifted in recent months, however, with lucrative extensions for veterans like Rodgers, Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr.