Cardinals Pro Bowler Kyler Murray looking to be top-five paid QB?

Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals seem to be on better terms now than they were at the start of the offseason, but the star quarterback still wants a new contract. According to one report, Murray is looking to become one of the five highest-paid players at his position.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on Wednesday that NFL executives believe Murray is seeking an extension that is slightly above the three-year, $121.5 million deal Derek Carr recently signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. Murray still has two years remaining on his rookie contract, which is one reason he has not had much leverage.

Carr’s average annual salary of $40 million places him fifth in the QB salary rankings, according to OverTheCap.com. If the Cardinals gave Murray slightly more than that, the only quarterbacks in the NFL making more than him would be Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.

Fowler also hinted that Murray could still consider holding out. He said the former No. 1 overall pick “won’t be too eager to play” under his current contract, which is set to pay him $11.4 million in 2022.

Murray sparked drama earlier this offseason when he removed all references to the Cardinals from his social media profiles. His agent then went public with an extension demand. Murray has since tried to downplay the frustration and said he is committed to the Cardinals. However, their GM recently made it clear that discussions between the two sides have not gone smoothly.