Arizona Cardinals

The Baltimore Ravens are parting ways with their top wide receiver to add another first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

The Arizona Cardinals announced that they have acquired wideout Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and a third-round pick (No. 100) from the Ravens in exchange for the No. 23 pick.

A 2019 first-round pick out of Oklahoma, Brown enjoyed the best year of his career in 2021. He recorded 91 receptions for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns, which trailed only tight end Mark Andrews for the Ravens team lead. It was his first time finishing with over 800 receiving yards in a season.

By getting traded to Arizona, Brown is being reunited with his old college quarterback Kyler Murray. Brown notched 75 catches for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final season as a Sooner with Murray delivering him passes.

Brown is the cousin of former NFL receiver Antonio Brown. He received the nickname "Hollywood" during his time at Oklahoma, where he was known for his big-play ability.

The 24-year-old will be joining a strong receiver room with the Cardinals. Five-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins will be back after being limited to 10 games last season because of a a torn MCL. Arizona also retained veteran AJ Green in free agency and wideout Rondale Moore will be looking to build off a promising rookie season.

If they are able to remain healthy, Brown and the rest of the Cardinals receivers will combine with Murray for one of the most dangerous passing attacks in the league.

As Kyler Murray continues to pursue a new contract, the two-time Pro Bowler won't be with the Arizona Cardinals for voluntary offseason workouts.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Murray is one of "many" veteran players who won't take part.

Rapoport noted their decisions to not participate have "been communicated as the plan for several weeks."

It's been a newsworthy offseason for Murray and the Cardinals. It started in February when the Oklahoma product scrubbed his Instagram of all team images and references.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Feb. 13 that the two sides were "at odds."

Murray was "frustrated with the franchise" because he felt like it made him the scapegoat for the team's 34-11 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

The Cardinals were said to have "their own concerns" about the 24-year-old, with sources telling Mortensen that Murray is "self-centered, immature and someone who points fingers."

In a Feb. 14 post on Instagram, Murray wrote "all of this nonsense is not what I'm about, never has been, never will be." The post was accompanied by an image of him in his Cardinals uniform.

It doesn't seem like things have thawed.

Erik Burkhardt, Murray's agent, said in a long statement Feb. 28 that the Cardinals prioritized "committing to other areas" and have only talked "about addressing Kyler's long term future" with the team instead of engaging in discussions for a new deal.

Last week, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the Cardinals have not made a contract offer to Murray's camp.

Pelissero added that other teams are monitoring the situation but that Arizona "insists" it won't trade Murray.

Murray is set to earn $5.5 million in 2022 with a team option for $29.7 million in 2023 that must be picked up by May 2.

The Cardinals selected Murray with the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft. He has started 46 games in three seasons, throwing for 11,480 yards, running for 1,786 yards and accounting for 90 touchdowns against 34 interceptions and six lost fumbles.

Arizona made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2015.

Kyler Murray's situation is reportedly still somewhat up in the air as the 2022 season approaches.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the Arizona Cardinals have not countered with a new contract offer since the quarterback's agent, Erik Burkhardt, told them he was removing his opening proposal.

Pelissero suggested it would be a "surprise" if Murray plays on a deal set to pay him approximately $5.5 million in 2022, especially since the market experienced a dramatic shift when Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr all signed contract extensions worth $40 million or more this offseason.

According to NFL.com's Kevin Patra, sources told Pelissero that Murray is not expected to play for the Cardinals again without a new deal.

While the two sides still have not reached an agreement, Pelissero also reported the team "insists" it will not trade him even if "other teams are monitoring closely."

Murray addressed his status with the Cardinals last month when he told reporters: "I'm an Arizona Cardinal. I've done nothing but give my all to the Cardinals and will continue to do that. I'm not really too worried about my future as a Cardinal."

The topic of his future picked up steam in February when the quarterback unfollowed the team on Instagram and deleted Cardinals-related content from the social media platform.

That such a move came as he prepared to enter the final guaranteed year of his rookie deal and after he struggled during a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams made it all the more notable, but he suggested the social media actions received too much attention.

"If you are a kid my age, you're used to people taking off (posts)," the 24-year-old said. "That's just a thing. I took everything off of there besides one picture. It had nothing to do with the Cardinals or anything like that."

Still, Burkhardt released a statement in February saying his client was looking for a new contract.

Arizona made Murray its franchise quarterback when it selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 draft, and he quickly responded as the Offensive Rookie of the Year. He followed that up with two straight Pro Bowl appearances as a dual-threat playmaker who can hurt opposing defenses with his arm and legs.

While he went just 19-of-34 passing for 137 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions in that playoff loss to the Rams, there is little reason to think the Texas native won't continue to improve as one of the best young players in the league.

Perhaps that means the Cardinals will eventually ink him to a long-term deal, but it hasn't happened yet.            

Veteran wide receiver A.J. Green signed a one-year free-agent contract to remain with the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported the news.

The 33-year-old spent the 2021 season in Arizona after a 10-year run with the Cincinnati Bengals to begin his career.

Despite being part of a stacked receiving corps that also included DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk and Rondale Moore, Green enjoyed a productive season and was arguably Arizona's most consistent wideout.

Appearing in 16 games, the Georgia product finished with 54 receptions for 848 yards and three touchdowns. He also averaged 15.7 yards per catch, which was his best average since his 2011 rookie season (16.3).

It was a solid bounce-back campaign for Green, who mustered only 47 receptions for 523 yards and two scores in his final season with the Bengals in 2020.

He missed the entire 2019 season with an ankle injury, which made the 2021 season a huge one in terms of reestablishing his value.

While Green is no longer one of the top receivers in the league, the resume he built during his time in Cincinnati cannot be ignored.

He earned seven straight Pro Bowl selections from 2011-17 to start his NFL career and finished six of those seasons with at least 1,000 yards.

In 143 career regular-season games, Green has 703 receptions for 10,278 yards and 68 touchdowns. He ranks 54th or better in each of those categories in NFL history as well.

Also, while the Summerville, South Carolina, native has never won a playoff game, he has five games of postseason experience, which is another asset he brings to the table.

Green is more of a complementary piece than a go-to guy at this point in his career, but as he showed last year, he can still be a productive and important player for the Cards in 2022.

The quarterback market continues to rise in the wake of Derek Carr's new deal from the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday. 

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Carr agreed to a three-year, $121.5 million extension that keeps him with the Raiders through the 2025 season. 

As noted by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, there are now seven quarterbacks with deals averaging at least $40 million per season:

Derek Carr's $40.5 million new-money average on his new three-year extension with the #Raiders puts him 5th among QBs and makes him the 7th member of the $40M+ club, joining Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford and Dak Prescott.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 13, 2022

There will be two more in that group whenever Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray sign long-term contracts. 

Jackson's situation is the more urgent of the two because he's only under contract with the Baltimore Ravens for one more season. The 25-year-old likely wouldn't hit free agency next offseason because the team will almost certainly use the franchise tag if a deal can't be reached. 

Murray is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract with the Arizona Cardinals. The team hasn't officially exercised his fifth-year option for 2023 yet, but general manager Steve Keim told reporters last month they intend to do so before the May 2 deadline. 

The last elite-level quarterback to hit true free agency was Tom Brady after the 2019 season. He was only able to do that by signing a deal with the New England Patriots that prevented them from using the franchise or transition tag to retain him.

Jackson doesn't appear to be in a hurry to get a deal done. ESPN's Dianna Russini reported on Get Up (starts at :05 mark) last month that there is "no sense of urgency" from the 2019 NFL MVP and the Ravens are waiting on him "to step up" to negotiate a new contract. 

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported April 2 that Jackson "doesn't want to do a deal until the 2022 season is over."

Florio floated a possibility that Jackson could play on franchise tags in 2023 and 2024, which depending on how the cap increases, could amount to the Ravens paying him a total of $97.8 million over the next three years. 

Given the current market for quarterbacks, an average salary of $32.6 million for a quarterback of Jackson's caliber is a bargain. The problem is that the guaranteed money wouldn't allow the Ravens to lower his yearly cap hits to provide more flexibility to flesh out the roster. 

Murray's situation is complicated by him possibly being unhappy with the Cardinals. He scrubbed the team from his Instagram for more than one month before putting all of the pictures back up in March. 

Speaking to reporters about the situation, Murray attempted to explain it away as just something young people do and that he's "done nothing but give my all to the Cardinals and will continue to do that."

“I’m an Arizona Cardinal,” Kyler Murray pic.twitter.com/BqEWUXGNwr

— Mark McClune (@MarkMcClune) March 24, 2022

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported in February there was a divide between Murray and the Cardinals. 

According to Mortensen, Murray felt like he was made the scapegoat for the team's 34-11 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. 

Mortensen noted the Cardinals have their concerns about Murray, "with sources describing the 2019 No. 1 overall pick as self-centered, immature and someone who points fingers."

Murray, like Jackson, seems unlikely to hit true free agency for a number of years because of his value and how affordable the franchise tag is for teams. 

The two most likely contracts to look at when evaluating what Jackson and Murray could look for are Deshaun Watson's deal with the Cleveland Browns and Josh Allen's deal with the Buffalo Bills. 

Allen signed a six-year extension with the Bills in August that includes $150 million guaranteed and can be worth up to $258 million. The guaranteed money ranks third among all quarterbacks, behind Watson ($230.0 million) and Aaron Rodgers ($150.7 million), per Over the Cap.

Ravens general owner Steve Bisciotti acknowledged the Browns' decision to fully guarantee Watson's five-year, $230 million contract is going to "make negotiations harder with others."

Prior to Watson's pact with Cleveland, the largest fully guaranteed deal for a quarterback was Kirk Cousins' three-year, $84 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018. 

Patrick Mahomes has the largest total contract in the NFL at $450 million over 10 years, but his deal is an outlier because most quarterbacks don't want to commit for that long because it can limit their negotiating leverage.

Mahomes and Allen are currently the only quarterbacks signed past the 2026 campaign. 

If Jackson and Murray elect to re-sign with their current teams at some point this offseason, reasonable deals for both players would be in the four-year, $200 million range with at least $140 million guaranteed. 

Jackson can reasonably ask for a more lucrative deal than Allen, at least on an average annual basis if he doesn't want to take a six-year contract. He has an MVP award; Allen doesn't at this point.

He led the Ravens to three straight playoff appearances from 2018 to '20 and was on his way to a fourth before an ankle injury ended his 2021 season in Week 14 when the team was 7-5. 

Murray led the Cardinals to their first playoff appearance since 2015. He did fade in the second half of the season after suffering an ankle injury in Week 8, but the 24-year-old was playing at an MVP level with 2,276 passing yards, 20 total touchdowns (three rushing) and a 72.7 percent completion rate in the first eight games. 

Contract negotiations are never easy. That's especially true for quarterbacks in this era, with seemingly each new deal resetting the market. Jackson and Murray will have the opportunity to do it whenever they decide to sign long-term extensions. 

Tight end Zach Ertz agreed to a three-year contract to return to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reporting the deal is worth $31.65 million.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network previously reported a deal was being finalized.

Ertz was traded to Arizona on Oct. 15 from the Philadelphia Eagles, who drafted him in the second round of the 2013 draft. He recorded 56 receptions for 574 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games with the Cardinals to finish the 2021 season with 74 catches for 763 yards and five scores.

In his eight-plus seasons in Philadelphia, Ertz established himself as one of the best tight ends in the league. He had five straight seasons with over 70 receptions and 800 receiving yards. He was also a part of the Eagles' victory in Super Bowl LII, catching seven passes for 67 yards and a score.

Ertz set an NFL single-season record for catches by a tight end with 116 in 2018. He recorded his only 1,000-yard season that year with 1,163 yards and tied a career high with eight touchdowns.

Retaining Ertz is a strong move for Arizona. He will provide a safety net for Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. The return of Ertz combined with getting star receiver DeAndre Hopkins back at full strength gives Arizona one of the best receiving corps in the league. Hopkins missed seven games in 2021 with a knee injury.

The Arizona Cardinals will reportedly release linebacker Jordan Hicks, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

According to Spotrac, the move frees $6.5 million worth of salary cap space while leaving $3 million in dead cap. 

Hicks finished second on the team with 116 tackles last season, his third straight year hitting triple digits. In 2019, he finished third in the NFL with 149 tackles. 

The 29-year-old showed his versatility this past season with a career-high four sacks to go with five passes defended and two fumble recoveries. He was a key part of a defense that ranked 11th in both points and yards allowed.

The linebacker also led the Cardinals in defensive snaps last season and didn't miss a regular-season game in three years with the team. 

Despite the production, Arizona can afford to release Hicks after drafting linebackers in the first round in each of the last two years.

Isaiah Simmons had a quiet rookie year after being selected eighth overall in 2020, but he broke out last season with 105 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The team will hope for a similar second-year jump from Zaven Collins, the No. 16 overall pick in 2021. Collins appeared in 17 games last year but saw limited playing time and tallied just 25 tackles.

The move also clears cap space for a team that currently ranks 19th in the NFL with $8.5 million available, per Spotrac. 

With Chandler Jones set to hit free agency and quarterback Kyler Murray seeking a new contract, Arizona can use all the money it can find.     

Patience is one virtue that might benefit Kyler Murray in his quest to sign a long-term extension with the Arizona Cardinals.

Murray's agent, Erik Burkhardt, confirmed in February the two-time Pro Bowler was looking to sign a new contract:

A statement from Cardinals’ QB Kyler Murray’s agent, @ErikBurkhardt: pic.twitter.com/qsWGZIZ0jB

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 28, 2022

On Wednesday, ESPN's Josh Weinfuss reported that "many didn't think Murray would receive an extension so soon" and also "thought it was unwise for Murray's camp to be seeking one before Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson got his."

Whereas Murray won't hit free agency until 2024—assuming the Cardinals pick up his fifth-year option—Jackson will be out of contract in 2023.

Even if the 2019 MVP doesn't get a record-setting contract, there's probably a good chance he becomes the fourth quarterback to earn at least $40 million annually.

Aaron Rodgers might reset the QB market as well. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported he agreed to a four-year, $200 million extension with the Green Bay Packers, a claim Rodgers refuted. Whatever the terms, the future Hall of Famer likely won't be giving the Packers a hometown discount.

Jackson and Rodgers should provide helpful guides for Murray and Burkhardt in terms of what kind of money they can reasonably demand of the Cardinals.

As Weinfuss' report alluded to, agreeing to terms with Arizona sooner rather than later could result in Murray collecting a deal that quickly looks like a bargain for the team.

Patrick Mahomes serves as a good example of salary inflation for quarterbacks.

In July 2020, Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs agreed to the biggest contract ever in an American sports league: 10 years and $450 million. Within two years, he might not be the highest-paid QB in the NFL anymore in terms of average salary.

Spotrac already estimates Murray's value at $43 million per year (six years, $258.1 million). That number would likely climb if the 24-year-old has a big 2022 season.

For most NFL players, getting long-term financial security as soon as you can is a sound approach. Careers aren't as long when compared to other sports, and the injury risk is so high.

Quarterbacks, on the other hand, aren't as susceptible to those two factors.

Rodgers turned 38 in December and he's poised to make more money annually than anybody ever at his position. Likewise, Dak Prescott's ankle dislocation didn't stop him from getting $160 million over four years from the Dallas Cowboys.

Time is on Murray's side. There isn't a need for him to rush into an extension with the Cardinals.

Quarterback Kyler Murray has re-added Instagram pictures featuring him on the Arizona Cardinals amid rumored tension between him and the team.

Murray previously deleted all Cardinals mentions on IG and even unfollowed the team on social media.

A Feb. 13 report from ESPN's Chris Mortensen seemed to relay some issues the Cardinals had with the quarterback:

Where’s it headed?
Despite the acrimony, the Cardinals expect things to calm down and Murray is their QB.
Select veterans hope to reach Murray on how he handle adversity better.
Coach Kliff Kingsbury also is self-scouting where he can provide better alternatives for QB.

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) February 13, 2022

On Feb. 28, Murray's agent, Erik Burkhardt, expressed his and his client's desire for a long-term commitment from the team.

A statement from Cardinals’ QB Kyler Murray’s agent, @ErikBurkhardt: pic.twitter.com/qsWGZIZ0jB

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 28, 2022

At the very least, the Cardinals have no interest in dealing Murray, who has one year left on his original rookie deal. Per ESPN's Josh Weinfuss on March 2:

A few takeaways from my time at the NFL combine this week:

- The Cardinals aren’t taking trade calls for Kyler Murray.
- It doesn’t sound like Chandler Jones will be a Cardinal in 2022.
- It sounds like Christian Kirk will have a hot market in free agency.

— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) March 2, 2022

Cardinals general manager Steve Keim also said Arizona is going to pick up his fifth-year option.

Perhaps things may have smoothed over at least a little bit between Murray and the Cardinals with those IG pictures back up. For now, Murray and Arizona are focused on a return trip to the playoffs after an 11-6 mark and a NFC Wild Card berth last year.

The Arizona Cardinals have not received any calls about a potential trade for Kyler Murray, according to Mike Silver of NFL Network (via Johnny Venerable of PHNX Cardinals).

The discussion comes amid a contract dispute with the Pro Bowler quarterback.

Murray's agent, Erik Burkhardt, said in a statement last week that the quarterback is seeking a long-term deal to remain with the organization.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen also reported the negative feelings between the two sides, with Murray "frustrated" by the Cardinals and the team seeing the 24-year-old as "self-centered" and "immature."

At the combine Tuesday, head coach Kliff Kingsbury said he hasn't spoken to the quarterback.

Despite the apparent divide, ESPN's Josh Weinfuss reported the Cardinals aren't taking calls about Murray. Opposing teams seemingly believe this mindset, not even reaching out about a potential deal.

The 2019 No. 1 overall pick has been impressive on the field, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors before becoming a Pro Bowl selection in each of the past two years. He finished 2021 with 3,787 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions to go with 423 rushing yards and five more scores.

While most focus on Murray's athleticism, his 100.6 quarterback rating was eighth best in the NFL last year. 

The production could lead to a significant raise in his next contract, especially after Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Dak Prescott each earned extensions of at least $40 million per year.

Arizona can remain patient, however, with Murray still under contract for 2022 plus a fifth-year option for 2023. The lack of trade talk indicates the signal-caller will remain in the Cardinals huddle going forward.