Arizona sportsbooks will eventually have betting odds on what team Kyler Murray will be taking snaps for next season.
The 2022 NFL Draft begins on April 28, and NFL Draft betting is permitted at legal AZ sportsbooks. Once it’s clear which teams commit to quarterbacks through the draft, official odds on the Arizona Cardinals quarterback will be posted.
You can wager on NFL offseason mayhem in the Grand Canyon State, and here’s what to know before you make your bet stubs official.
Kyler Murray trade rumors: How they started
Murray led the Cardinals to a 9-2 record this past season, drawing attention for Murray to potentially win the MVP award and for the Cardinals to win its first Super Bowl in franchise history.
But things weren’t the same after the former Oklahoma Sooner returned from an injury forcing him out for three games. Arizona finished with a 2-4 record through the final six regular-season games.
The downward spiral continued in the postseason when the Cardinals were defeated 34-11 in the Wild Card round to the eventual champion Los Angeles Rams. Murray threw for 137 yards, two interceptions and zero touchdowns in the loss.
Weeks after the brutal loss, Murray unfollowed the Cardinals on social media and went as far as to delete photos from his Instagram that associated him with the team.
Then in late February, Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell said the organization sees Murray being part of the long-term plan for the team. This prompted Murray’s agent Erik Burkhardt to release a statement noting Murray’s desire to not only continue playing in the desert but to bring the Lombardi Trophy to Arizona.
In Burkhardt’s statement, he said a new contract proposal for Murray had been sent to the Cardinals.
To this point, Murray still hasn’t received a new contract. The most recent piece of news came on April 14 when NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Murray won’t suit up for the Cardinals until he has a new contract, per sources informed on his decision.
Murray is on the short list
Due to Murray’s short stature, some teams may not consider making a deal for the 5-foot, 10-inch QB.
Some NFL teams still believe that to be successful in the NFL, you need to be at least 6 feet tall. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers or Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott both stand at 6 foot, 2 inches. A majority of QBs are indeed at least 6 foot tall.
Murray to Saints?
The Saints are desperately searching for a successor to Drew Brees, who lined up under center in NOLA for the past 15 years. Brees also stood 6 foot, providing a precedent for the Saints to be OK with short QBs. New Orleans just signed QB Jameis Winston to a two-year extension in March, but only after they couldn’t land Deshaun Watson in a trade from the Houston Texans.
They could be willing to send Winston to Arizona as part of a package to get Murray to Bourbon Street.
Murray to Panthers?
Carolina finished 5-12 last season but had higher hopes when they acquired former New York Jets QB Sam Darnold. The former USC Trojan threw nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 13 games. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule will be entering his third season in the NFL in 2022. A 5-11 record in Year One and a 5-12 record in Year Two put Rhule’s job in danger. But ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Carolina will stick with Rhule for at least one more season.
Rhule could see Murray as an ideal QB to run the Panther’s offense and potentially save his career in the Tar Heel State.
Murray to Seahawks?
There is reason for concern in the Pacific Northwest after the Seattle Seahawks finished 7-10 last season, missing the playoffs and trading QB Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos for a bevy of draft picks and players. With former Bronco Drew Lock sitting atop the Seahawks QB depth chart, they will need to make moves to solidify the position if they wish to compete in 2022.
They own excellent draft capital, selecting players in the No. 9, 40 and 41 spots through the first two rounds. They could take a QB in one of those slots.
However, Murray’s height won’t be an issue for Seattle with Wilson only 1 inch taller. They could bundle their draft capital and newly acquired players to get Murray rather than gambling on a rookie QB.
