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Feature – In this October 27, 2018 photo, quarterback Kyler Murray of Oklahoma maneuvers during the college football game between the NCAA team and the Kansas State at Norman, Oklahoma. (AP Photo / Sue Ogrocki, File)
The NFL is blinded by prejudices. Paralyzed by the analysis. Forget that what makes a good player can not be quantified with chronometers and measuring tapes.
Like the 2 or 3 inches separating Kyler Murray, nothing is obvious.
More than ever, the Cardinals must choose Murray with the NFL 2019 Draft # 1 pick. As Josh Rosen's strongest defender in the Valley, I hereby announce that the time has come to name his substitute.
This is because everything you believe to be true about the NFL is wrong, corrupted by arrogance or changed daily.
Size does not matter anymore. Perhaps he never existed. Or maybe it only mattered between the ears of those who select the players and protect their own jobs. Whatever the case may be, an eternal truth has finally surfaced in the NFL:
If you are good enough, you are big enough.
Drew Brees and Russell Wilson are proof that height is a state of mind. Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield are proof that Air Raid quarterbacks can succeed without long internships. The future is now tied to coaches who can shape an aggressive philosophy around dynamic talent, surfing the wave of NFL innovation, exploiting rules that continue to marginalize defensive players, hitters and bounty hunters.
But it's much more than that.
When the Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury, the move was either revered or insulted for its unconventional nature. It's a big dice shot. This excited an audience bored to tears by his predecessor. It's a smart game, considering the NFL leadership and the malaise that followed this football team in 2018. And it's a dangerous move, which is to ask a glorified spectator to play the role of head coach, surrounding him with assistants chosen by the general manager.
That's why Murray is so important.
Can you really believe in the sincerity and vision of our football team if they hire Kingsbury and pass on the quarterback that he covets the most? Do they fail to give Kingsbury the only player able to fuel his credibility and strengthen his nascent voice?
Keep in mind that Kingsbury rushed to Murray long before he became an NFL coach, when he had no reason to hide his true intentions. His comments of the time are more important than ever, when everyone is lying.
If Steve Keim has the audacity to believe in Kingsbury, he must do the same with Murray. The confluence of events is too perfect and there is no good reason not to name Murray.
Do not forget that Michael Bidwill is a progressive history student. He has already stormed into Ken Whisenhunt's office, demanding to know where the former head coach had scored Wilson on his selection board, before the tiny quarterback landed in Seattle and changed the balance of power in the NFC West.
Some think that the Cardinals would be much better served by Nick Bosa, an outstanding defender capable of increasing the rush of the team. I'm sure it would be a good addition. Except to watch how the last quarterback of the Big 12's behaved as a first choice in the draft (Baker Mayfield) compared to the first defensive lineman selected in 2018 (Bradley Chubb). Who would you prefer?
The winner of the Heisman Trophy is no more fragile than any other NFL quarterback. He could be more elusive, often described as having his eyes behind his head. He is committed to football for the first time in his life, attracted by fame and doubt. And how often does a player of his caliber fit so perfectly into the grand scheme of a freshman head coach?
That does not mean they have to give up or trade Rosen. On the contrary. To stage a battle. The best player wins and the other one gives Arizona one of the best NFL shifts. A little competition could work wonders for the quarterback room.
In addition, if the Cardinals pass on Murray, they make fun of the pioneering spirit that led them to Kingsbury. And what is it fun?
Contact Bickley at [email protected]. Listen to Bickley & Marotta on weekdays from 10am to 2pm. 98.7 FM Arizona sports station.
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