Kyler Murray’s new contract greatly helps Russell Wilson
Kyler Murray just received an extension that will pay him slightly over $46 million per year. What does that mean for Russell Wilson’s extension in Denver?
On Thursday, Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals agreed to an extension that is set to pay him $230.5 million over five seasons. With Russell Wilson set to command an extension next offseason, what could this mean for how much the Denver Broncos are set to pay him?
The fallout from the Murray extension is already interesting. Some think Murray doesn’t deserve what he just got, as he hasn’t done much since entering the league in 2019. However, the Cardinals’ record has improved every season since Murray has started, and his talent cannot be denied.
He is a similar player to Russell Wilson in a way, and the 24-year-old is now under contract for the long-term in Arizona.
For quarterback contracts, the number that most seem to care about is the average annual value.
Now with Murray’s extension, the top five QBs in AAV are Aaron Rodgers at about $50 million per season, Kyler Murray at $46.1 million, Deshaun Watson at $46 million, Patrick Mahomes at $45 million, and Josh Allen at $43 million.
Russell Wilson’s current contract was signed a few offseasons ago and is paying him just $35 million per year. Obviously, this is an outdated number and does not reflect where Wilson is among the league’s best.
George Paton will end up giving Russell Wilson a massive contract extension next offseason. Now, with Murray’s deal done, how much is Wilson going to get?
Well, if Wilson is indeed extended next offseason, he may be one of three or four players extended at the position.
Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, the 2020 quarterback class, are both in line to sign massive, market resetting extensions. There is no debate here, in my opinion.
I wouldn’t be surprised if one or both players eclipse $50 million per season, perhaps heading to a $52 million per year mark, which would be the highest average annual value contract among quarterbacks.
If both Burrow and Herbert sign similar contracts, which is likely, what would Lamar Jackson sign?
It’s unclear when Jackson will sign his contract extension, as his situation is a bit different, but I would indeed expect Jackson to sign a contract worth at least $45 million per season, which would put him in the top five of AAV, depending on when he signs the deal.
With Russell Wilson the oldest of this bunch, what could we expect him to sign for? I think the conversations with Wilson’s camp with start with $50 million over a four or five-year extension.
Wilson has a much more decorated and successful career than these players, and he is clearly betting on himself this season.
Russell Wilson seems to have a good feeling deep down that he’ll likely enjoy a career season passing the ball being in Denver. Nathaniel Hackett has said that he plans on building the offense around Wilson, which is mostly the opposite of what he was playing in when he was in Seattle.
If Wilson, let’s say, throws 35 touchdown passes, 10 interceptions, 4,000 yards, and Denver wins 10-11 games in 2022, how could Wilson’s camp not argue that their client deserves one of the richest deals in NFL history?
I could very much understand that if Wilson doesn’t play as well as he thinks, he may not sign for that $50 million number, but I don’t see that happening.
Kyler Murray’s extension may have made the $50 million per year number much more attainable for Russell Wilson.