Cardinals' Budda Baker sends Kyler Murray warning to NFL ahead of 2025 season

If certain noteworthy members of the NFL community are correct, quarterback Kyler Murray could be entering a make-or-break season regarding his Arizona Cardinals tenure. 

During an appearance on the latest edition of "The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny" podcast, Cardinals safety Budda Baker shared somewhat of a warning for the rest of the NFL regarding what Murray could accomplish during the 2025 campaign. 

"He's kind of been in his bag this whole offseason, doing no-look throws and having a great offseason training camp," Baker said about Murray, per Carter Bahns of CBS Sports. "K1, he's going to run a little bit more. A little outside the pocket, inside the pocket throws. He's going to kind of do it all. He's going to get all his guys the rock."

Cardinals tight end Trey McBride recently touched upon how he and other playmakers feel they "always have a chance if Kyler has the ball in his hands" because "the plays are never over with that guy" due to his elusiveness. This past spring, Murray suggested he could return to his previous running ways now that he feels more like himself following the injury he suffered in December 2022 that left him needing ACL surgery and some meniscus repair.

According to the StatMuse website, Murray finished the 2024 regular season ranked eighth in the league with a combined 4,423 passing and rushing yards. He was tied for 12th with 26 combined passing and rushing touchdowns. Additionally, Pro Football Reference stats show that he ended Week 18 ranked ninth in the NFL among qualified passers with a 66.5 adjusted QBR. 

"...This guy can make all the throws inside the pocket, outside the pocket. He's quick. You see it on tape," Baker added about Murray. "He's outrunning everybody all the time. Even like that 49ers game -- we're in San Fran, he points out to the touchdown 40, 50 yards away knowing he was going to score. I haven't seen a QB do that."

Baker was referencing Murray's 50-yard touchdown run against the San Francisco 49ers this past October. Despite such highlight-reel moments, the fact that Murray has thus far recorded zero career postseason victories has some wondering if he's facing a playoff-win-or-bust mandate this summer. 

Baker seems confident that Murray will make such takes seem downright silly later this year. 

"It's definitely exciting," Baker said about having Murray as his team's QB1. "It's cool to just lay under the weeds and have him be that underrated guy and just kind of show who he is this year and throughout the whole season."