Apparently, Kyler Murray Has “Hit a Career Low”

Mike Sando can commonly be found sending along writing that leans on the insight of anonymous NFL employees. His recent piece listing the NFL’s top quarterbacks didn’t deviate from that approach.

Maybe unsurprisingly, Kyler Murray didn’t snag a prestigious ranking. However, there could be some surprise to see the veteran so low: 23rd overall. Are there actually 22 passers better than the former Cardinal who is looking to take flight in the Twin Cities? Sando’s fifty voters have some quibbles and concerns with the probable QB1.

Kyler Murray Takes a Beating in QB Ranking

Seeing Mr. Murray come in a spot below Bryce Young and a spot ahead of Jaxson Dart is an eye opener. How the mighty have fallen.

Check out some of the insider perspective that gets passed along by Sando:

“The person I think who will change a lot is Kyler Murray, just because he’s around a quarterback coach, he will have weapons, he probably has something to prove and his ability to escape the pocket, when he is on, is no joke,” a defensive coordinator said.

Some of Sando’s comments: “Murray has never been able to dispel questions about his leadership, relatability to teammates and work habits.”

Much of what’s working in Kyler Murray’s favor is that he’ll get nice support from the defense: “Murray is going from one of the toughest places for a quarterback to win to one of the easiest. Last season, the Vikings were the only team to finish with a winning record (9-8) while ranking outside the top 25 in offensive EPA per play. They did it on the strength of their defense and special teams, which ranks third in combined EPA over the past three seasons (Arizona ranks 31st).”

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Scrolling down means eventually getting to where J.J. McCarthy is ranked. The kid comes in at 34th. Note that the NFL boasts 32 teams, so we’re talking about backup range.

The insight that may have caught people’s attention:

“The head coach and QB coach (Josh McCown) are quarterback snobs because they played the position,” an exec said. “Backup QBs love the fundamentals because it’s their only chance to spend 3-4-5 years in the league. So, the question is, when is their patience going to run out when J.J. keeps doing those unnecessary climbs in the pocket and keeps overthrowing the ball?”

The Vikings have been working through a passer competition at TCO Performance Center. Most think that Kyler Murray is in the lead. In fact, many think the edge is so decisive that talk of a battle taking place is essentially hogwash.

What’s clear from the ranking, though, is that Mr. Murray isn’t viewed as an ironclad franchise passer in the NFL. He should take a step forward, but there’s a lot hinging on that key word: should. How much is Murray going to improve in Minnesota?

Don’t forget, folks, that the Vikings made a similar gamble back in 2018 when welcoming Kirk Cousins to town. Many football foibles were explained away due to Cousins playing for a poor franchise. So, too, is Murray being given a lot of leeway from onlookers due to coming over from Arizona. Does his fate end up looking different from Cousins? At the very least, the initial year of compensation is wildly different, but those dollars and cents only go so far.

Kyler Murray will take the field yet again later on today. He’ll be looking to bounce back from what was described as just an okay performance yesterday.