Stability hasn’t been a theme for the Arizona Cardinals in the 2022 NFL offseason.
They lost key players like Christian Kirk, Chandler Jones, and Chase Edmonds during the offseason.
But the instability doesn’t end there, as Arizona and quarterback Kyler Murray are at odds over a new contract.
While the star quarterback is seeking a long-term extension and more money, Arizona went a different route.
The Cardinals picked up Murray’s fifth-year option right before the 2022 NFL Draft started.
However, they need to give him some stability with the team to keep him around.
If not, it may torpedo any chances of him signing an extension with the Cardinals.
But now there are reports he will miss his top receiver for six games in 2022.
Hopkins’ 6-Game Suspension Doesn’t Help Cardinals With Murray Situation
The NFL announced the Cardinals’ number one receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, will face a six-game suspension for violating the NFL PED policy.
The #AZCardinals lose WR DeAndre Hopkins for the first 6 games of the season after a PED suspension. pic.twitter.com/5FoxpwkEkH
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 2, 2022
Losing him for six games is a major blow to the team and also destabilizes the Cardinals roster.
Hopkins, when healthy, was a huge part of Murray’s early success in 2021.
However, with him missing six games for 2022, it’s a tremendous blow to any potential success for Murray.
It could hurt any playoff chances for the team as well.
But there was something Arizona did during the 2022 NFL Draft to help add stability for their quarterback.
Cardinals Make A Trade With Ravens For Murray’s Former College Teammate
Right after picking up that fifth-year option, the Cardinals made the move to trade for Marquise Brown.
Brown is the former teammate of the Cardinals starting quarterback and gives him a familiar face in 2022.
The two players played well for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2018.
After that season, the two entered the 2019 NFL Draft together, only to land on different teams.
But now the Cardinals quarterback finally got his wish three years later.
Hollywood Brown said he and Kyler Murray have talked about playing on the same NFL team since their final season together at Oklahoma in 2018. Now, it's a reality.
— Bob McManaman (@azbobbymac) April 29, 2022
While Arizona might have gotten him to add stability to the team, they also have an issue of his contract coming up next year.
A Long-Term Deal With Brown Might Be The Stability They Need
With both Brown and Murray wanting to play together since their college years, a long-term offer for Brown might be their ticket with Murray.
If they keep the young receiver around, surely his former college teammate will stick around.
The Cardinals need to bank on this with contract talks between them and their starting quarterback.
It would give all parties involved a win, as the team gets a good receiver and their quarterback gets a known weapon.
However, it could all come down to money to keep both players around.
If Arizona is committed to Murray as their quarterback, they’ll need a deal with Brown.
That commitment might come at a high price, but it could pay off.
Both players are young and can give Arizona many years of service in the future.
That could make for a selling point to keep both players beyond the 2022 NFL season.
NEXT: Cardinals Hoping To Break A Historic Professional Sports Drought