Could Kyler Murray Come To The Eagles?
Updated: Jun 30, 2023
Kyler Murray shocked everyone by removing the Arizona Cardinals from his Instagram. He unfollowed the team and deleted all pictures of himself in a Cardinals uniform.
This led to some intense speculation. While he is still a member of the Cardinals, he is possibly disgruntled about something. If he does want out, the Philadelphia Eagles should make a serious run at him. What if Kyler Murray comes to the Eagles?
Is Murray a Good Fit in Philly?
Murray was drafted first overall in 2019. He played college football for Oklahoma. Murray won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and followed that up with back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. Despite his size, he is an above average quarterback. Murray could be a huge upgrade for the Eagles.
Kyler Murray can give the Eagles much better quarterback play. He is very accurate and gets the ball out fast. Murray is more of a pocket quarterback than Jalen Hurts but is very athletic as well. He rushed for over 400 yards in each of the past 3 seasons (including 819 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 2020).
Murray completed nearly 70% of his passes this past season compared to 60% for Jalen Hurts. If the Eagles get Kyler Murray, they can have a much more versatile playbook. Instead of adding multiple players to make Jalen Hurts better, Kyler Murray can make the players around him better.
The Philadelphia Eagles need a more balanced offense. Early in the 2021 season, the Eagles were pass heavy. Jalen Hurts was not accurate enough and the offense sputtered. As the season went on, the Eagles ran the ball more and had success. They led the league in rushing but struggled against the Tampa Bay defense in the playoffs. The Buccaneers set up to stop the run because they knew that it would be difficult for Jalen Hurts to beat them through the air.
It was well known that the Eagles did not beat a single playoff team in 2021. The Eagles beat the teams they were supposed to but lacked the talent to compete with the elite teams. Quarterback is the most crucial position in the game, so this could be the difference going forward.
Kyler Murray has what it takes to beat good teams. In 2021 he beat the Rams, 49ers, Cowboys, and Titans. These were all playoff teams. The Eagles need someone who can help knock off good teams if they want to win the division and postseason games.
In Conclusion
Jalen Hurts is not a bad quarterback but needs more time to develop. Kyler Murray could come in and immediately make the Eagles a top NFC team. He went 9-5 this season as a starter and had the Cardinals as the top team in the NFC at one point. The Eagles would make him better for sure. They already have a top tier offensive line and running game. The Eagles have Devonta Smith who showed a lot of promise as a rookie and Dallas Goedert at tight end. Adding another receiver could make the Eagles a top offense with Murray.
The Philadelphia Eagles said that Jalen Hurts will remain the starter going into the 2022 season. It would not be surprising if they explore other options, however. This year’s draft is not rich in QB talent, but the Eagles should consider a trade if they can upgrade. Kyler Murray may have just been trying to get a new contract with his actions on social media, but the Eagles should absolutely pursue him if available.
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