Unlikely suitor willing to give Kyler Murray a new home

The Arizona Cardinals are set to release quarterback Kyler Murray when the NFL's new year begins on March 11. While he is expected to have several suitors, one unlikely team is leaving the door open.

Martin Gallegos from MLB.com reported that the Athletics are willing to bring Murray on board. The A's had selected Murray with the ninth overall selection in the 2018 MLB Draft, giving him a $4.66 million signing bonus. Ultimately, Murray decided against a baseball career, entering the 2019 NFL Draft with the Cardinals making him the first overall pick.

Although Murray had to forfeit the majority of his signing bonus from the A's, the team still controls his baseball rights. Gallegos reported that while A's general manager David Forst acknowledged that Murray will have plenty of opportunities to continue his NFL career, Murray and his representatives know that the A's would be willing to bring him on board should he decide to return to the diamond.

Athletics still willing to give Kyler Murray chance to live up to top prospect billing

Murray had been on the radar for major league teams since his high school days before he decided to forgo the 2015 MLB Draft to head to Texas A&M. He transferred to the University of Oklahoma, playing both football and baseball. Murray had a solid performance as a redshirt sophomore for the Sooners baseball team, posting a .296/.398/.556 batting line with 10 homers and 13 doubles in his 226 plate appearances while stealing 10 bases.

The A's gambled on Murray's athleticism by taking him with the ninth pick of the 2018 Draft. MLB.com ranked Murray as the A's fourth-best prospect heading into 2019, lauding his impressive speed on the basepaths and in center. He was viewed as a potential impact player in center before the NFL came calling.

It has been nearly nine years since Murray was on the diamond. He would have plenty of rust to shake off before the A's could see if his tantalizing potential is still there. As unlikely as it may be, the door is still open for Murray if he wants to return to baseball.