Why Kyler Murray Is The Most Underrated NFL Player

Over the past year or so, the popular narrative that Kyler Murray is this bum QB who can’t stay healthy has arisen. Many people genuinely view him as a below-average QB, and I am here to put that narrative to bed. You can’t deny Kyler didn’t play up to his pay grade in 2022. However, circumstances were not in his favor, and we are only one year removed from him being an MVP front-runner. Did people just forget Arizona was in the dumps before drafting Kyler, and they miraculously made it to the playoffs with him as their leader? Did people also forget his ACL tear was a freak incident and a non-contact injury? Apparently so, as this narrative shouldn’t exist with those facts present.

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How This Narrative Arose:

Going back to college, Kyler has always had doubters. Like Bryce Young, he is blatantly short, and many scouts thought he’d have shortcomings. Kyler won OROY, and analysts gave him credit where credit was due. It wasn’t until his infamous contract clause became public that set off this narrative that he was this lazy, immature, poor teammate. If you don’t know, the contract clause basically stated he had to spend x amount of hours watching film. I think his contract clause got blown way out of proportion, as the hard work from Murray has clearly been there. If you remember correctly, Murray had an excellent processor coming out. You only have a pro-ready trait like that with intense hard work.

Objectively speaking, Kyler does have poor body language on the field. It can sometimes be discouraging as a Cards fan, but nothing indicates he’s a lousy worker. The likes of DeAndre Hopkins have gone to back Murray up. While he may be a bit selfish and immature, he’s perfectly capable of leading the team. Just look at the success he had despite having a poor head coach. I’d imagine most players are happy to have him as their leader, and there’s a reason the organization felt okay paying him.

Since tearing his ACL, fans have started to unrightfully question his durability. Kyler may be short, but he’s thick and hasn’t had any history of injury problems besides the ACL. Furthermore, an ACL in today’s age is nothing compared to what it used to be. While he’s projected to come back mid-season, Kyler might get eager to get out there and comes back sooner. The risk of Murray having another freak incident is just as likely as any other player out there. This idea that he can’t stay healthy is simply false, and it’s a hyperbolic reaction from the fans.

Why Kyler Is The Future:

Right now, one of the most talked about narratives in the NFL is how Caleb Williams is a lock to be a Cardinal. While the Cards likely get the first overall pick, I don’t foresee them taking Williams. Murray will be eager to prove people wrong, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him go, “I am this team’s franchise,” and win half the games in the year’s second half. He knows if he plays poorly, he’ll lose his job, and he likely proves people wrong with this pressure.

Arizona just paid Kyler a massive contract; his dead cap will be 81.5 million dollars next year. Now the only way it would be worth it to trade him is if either of two things happened. A: He plays so well that they fetch multiple firsts for him (in which case, it would be better just to keep him), or B: he plays so poorly that they must find a replacement which would be Williams. It’d be stunning if Kyler comes out and plays that poorly. Yes, Hopkins is gone, but the new scheme is perfect for Kyler, and this O-Line is improved. There’s certainly a world where Williams is a Cardinal, but it’s a much smaller chance than the media portrays it.

What Makes Kyler Special As A Player?

Kyler was drafted number one overall to a team who already had a QB for a reason. His talent level is immense, and he does things only Lamar Jackson could do. I’d even argue there is no other QB from the past decade with as lethal of a first step as Kyler’s. If you haven’t already, watch his TD run against Las Vegas last year. That play is the best example of his unreal athleticism. Many people paying close attention know this, but Kyler has elite arm talent. It’s not like Herbert’s or Allen’s, but it’s up there for one of the best arms in football. When you have all the escapability in the world, plus a big-time arm, it makes for a remarkable out-of-structure QB. In addition, Kyler has proved to be competent playing in structure.

Kyler’s basic stats aren’t too impressive, but he easily passes the eye test. Advanced stats fall in Murray’s favor, however. PFF charted Kyler Murray as the third-best passer in 2021. He did that with a mediocre O-Line and a college coach. Even in 2022, Kyler still graded out above average, and that was with challenging circumstances. In 2021, Kyler also ranked tenth in total EPA. Both advanced stats and film suggest Kyler is a top-12 QB, yet he gets talked about like he’s in the same tier as Garappolo.

Before 2022, fans praised Kyler for his deep ball. However, it fell off last year, and fans wonder if it’ll be the same. Without Hopkins, Murray didn’t have to same chemistry with his Receivers. This led to many miscommunications and misreads. Most of his deep pass misses weren’t because of accuracy. It was more so him not reading the play right and having poor chemistry with the Receivers. With a new coaching staff (the last one was abysmal), Kyler likely makes fewer misreads and fewer miscommunications. The new scheme coming to Arizona is actually very QB-friendly. When it comes to pocket presence and decision-making, Kyler is ideal. He has an exceptional feel for what to do when the play breaks down. Additionally, he’s got a good clock in the back of his head. While Kyler is a well-developed passer, he still has a lot of room to grow. That’s another reason it’d be foolish to write him off, as I believe we haven’t even seen the best Kyler yet.

Final Conclusion:

You may still think Caleb Williams is Arizona’s best bet but don’t be the least bit surprised if they trade that pick come draft night. Murray is far from a perfect player, but he has the tools to take this team to a Super Bowl. Arizona only needs to build a good team around him. With a new head coach and play-caller, I expect big things from Kyler. Way too many fans and analysts have forgotten what he’s capable of and will be in for a flooring surprise when he returns.