Pressure Mounting For Cardinals' Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is entering his seventh season as the team's franchise player after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Murray has led the Cardinals to the postseason twice, but he has been snuffed out since 2021. A lot of changes have been made since then, but with the dynamics staying relatively the same for 2025, Murray has to perform well.

CBS Sports writer Zachary Pereles believes Murray has to be better for the Cardinals this season.

"It was an uneven 2024 for the Cardinals and, in turn, Kyler Murray. Now in his second full year in offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's offense -- and his second year after a torn ACL -- Murray must be more consistent down-to-down and game-to-game," Pereles wrote.

"The fact that the Cardinals did essentially nothing on offense this offseason puts more weight on Murray's shoulders."

Murray can no longer rely on excuses to get by, not that he has in the past. There are just fewer things to point the finger at if we are trying to find ways as to why the Cardinals aren't maximizing their full potential.

This season should be the most comfortable Murray has felt in a long time. He doesn't have a major injury to overcome or a new coach to learn or a new top wide receiver to build chemistry with.

Instead, Murray has familiarity around him for the first time in a while, and that has to make him feel good.

If Murray is unable to get the Cardinals to a better place in the upcoming season, it might be time for Arizona to look at the future with a different quarterback. Murray is under contract until the end of the 2027 season before a team option in 2028.