By Dave Vest
Good things indeed come in small packages.
Arizona Cardinals 5-foot-10 quarterback Kyler Murray (+400) is emerging as a favorite to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award in 2021.
Murray, the first overall draft pick in 2019, already is highly decorated. He won the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in his first season, and was named to the Pro Bowl as a sophomore. Before turning pro, he won the Heisman Trophy in 2018 at Oklahoma, and he was twice named National Player of the Year in high school. Though he rarely, if ever, discusses the topic, the NFL’s MVP award appears to be next on his to-do list.
Much like smaller QBs Fran Tarkenton and Doug Flutie decades before him, Murray uses his quickness to create plays seemingly out of nothing. His speed complements his poise and accuracy in the pocket, making him a threat on every play, with his arm or his legs, regardless of down and/or yards to go. He can pass, he can run, he can improvise. Without question, he’s an NFL defensive coordinator’s nightmare.
Kyler's speed is electric ⚡️ @K1 @AZCardinals
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) October 20, 2020
📺 #ARIvsDAL on ESPN pic.twitter.com/6VMI1pLaMC
The Cardinals, sensing Murray’s greatness, made key upgrades to the offense over the most recent off-season. They added three-time Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson to cement the line, and veteran wide receiver A.J. Green and veteran running back James Conner to provide depth at the skill positions. Once the season began, they added tight end Zach Ertz via trade. Those players, plus running back Chase Edmonds and wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk and Rondale Moore give Murray plenty of targets. And he enjoys spreading the football around.
Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, who joined the team around the same time as Murray, noted before the season started that Murray has picked up more intricacies of the offense with each passing season. Thus, his trust of Murray is at an all-time high and, because of that, in part, the third-year quarterback’s confidence is solid. And with future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald on the sidelines in 2021, Kingsbury has turned to Murray for leadership, while the Cardinals organization overall has turned to Murray to be the new “face of the franchise.” He’s embraced both roles.
How to defend Kliff Kingsbury, Kyler Murray and Arizona's Air Raid (via @CharleyCasserly)https://t.co/UOuI5eQJ5W pic.twitter.com/NmGmbpGmJM
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) September 7, 2019
It’s important to keep in mind that a quarterback has won the NFL’s MVP award every year but one over the past 14 seasons. Challengers for this year’s award include fellow quarterbacks Dak Prescott (+400), Josh Allen (+450), Tom Brady (+900) and Matthew Stafford (+1000). Recent MVPs Aaron Rodgers (+1100) and Patrick Mahomes (+1800) should not be left out of the conversation. They all get more national publicity than Murray, but if Murray continues to evolve as he has in his first three NFL seasons, the attention he gains will surely increase.
Picture Credit: All-Pro Reels
