Kyler Murray might be one of the most electric athletes in the league today, but six years into his NFL career, he’s still chasing that first playoff win.
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For all the dazzling runs, off-platform throws, and Pro Bowl nods, the Arizona Cardinals have made the postseason only once since drafting Murray No. 1 overall in 2019. And even then, it ended in a forgettable Wild Card loss to the Rams.
While the talent has never been in question, the results haven’t caught up. But 2025 might just be the year that changes for the Redbirds — and if you ask Cardinals safety Budda Baker, it’s because Murray is locked in like never before.
“He’s kind of been in his bag this whole offseason,” Baker told ESPN. “Doing no-look throws and having a great offseason training camp.”
The comment might sound casual, but it’s far from fluff. Murray, who missed a big chunk of the 2023 season recovering from a torn ACL, returned in 2024 but never fully looked like himself.
He hesitated to use his legs, leaned on short reads, and finished the year with more questions than answers. Still, he managed to throw for 3,851 yards, with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions to show for it.
And this offseason, all signs point towards Murray correcting his wrongs and becoming his college football version that makes defensive coordinators lose sleep.
“K1, he’s going to run a little bit more,” Baker added. “A little outside the pocket, inside the pocket throws. He’s going to kind of do it all, and he’s going to get all his guys the rock.”
Scary: Cardinals superstar QB Kyler Murray has “been in his bag” this offseason, according to Budda Baker.
“He’s kind of been in his bag this whole offseason, doing no-look throws and having a great offseason training camp. K1, he’s going to run a little bit more. A little… pic.twitter.com/k0Ak3ubbKV
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 29, 2025
It’s a telling statement from someone who’s watched Murray from both sidelines and film rooms. For Budda’s take paints a picture of a QB who isn’t just healthy, but evolving, and willing to unlock the full spectrum of his game again. Particularly, the ground game that made him a nightmare early in his career.
That said, NFL fans had a hard time believing Baker’s claim. “I don’t trust anything Budda says,” one argued. “I will not be baited into drafting him on fantasy lol,” joked another.
The rest, meanwhile, came up with their own set of suggestions for Kyler Murray to take his game up a notch this season. “He should work more on his look-throws,” suggested one. “K1, been a baller fr… just needs the right surrounding pieces, he also needs to stay healthy,” chimed in another.
As the fan sentiment suggests, it’s high time that Murray lives up to his promise, especially with the talent surrounding him. Arizona boasts a sneaky-good offensive core heading into the 2025 season: veteran RB James Conner, breakout candidate Trey Benson, tight end Trey McBride, and rookie phenom Marvin Harrison Jr.
So if Murray can blend that arm talent with his signature mobility, then this unit could go from inconsistent to outright dangerous. And luckily for them, the seeds for this were sown last year, thanks to them having an 8-win campaign — a leap from the dismal two-year stretch before.
