Projecting Los Angeles Chargers LB Kenneth Murray's contract for upcoming 2024 NFL free agency
The NFL's regular season is over, which for most teams, means it's time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months. We've officially come up with […]
The NFL's regular season is over, which for most teams, means it's time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.
NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months.
We've officially come up with our own contract projections for the NFL's top free agents that include context behind each player's 2023 season, the likelihood of a franchise tag, the projection itself, and the first-year cap hit for a team that's “all-in” and is needing to reduce that first-year hit in order to maximize their cap dollars.
So, without further ado, let's check out the projection for Los Angeles Chargers linebacker, Kenneth Murray.
Kenneth Murray 2024 Contract Projection
It’s unfortunate to be a defensive first-round pick, and have the coach and scheme you were drafted into leave after your rookie year. The Chargers traded up to select Murray in the first round of the 2020 draft while Gus Bradley was running the defense for Anthony Lynn’s squad, and when the coaches failed to post a winning record despite the breakthrough of generational talent Justin Herbert, the Bolts decided to go in a new direction.
The hire of “defensive wunderkind” Brandon Staley put Kenneth Murray at the center of a defense that he wasn’t drafted to play in. It’s no coincidence that Murray’s highest defensive PFF grade, lowest missed tackle percentage and second-lowest NFL passer rating-against all came in his rookie year.
Staley’s defense was overly complex and caused may of the Chargers’ players to regress, and Murray was often the poster child of this issue. There were flashes of excellence when it seemed like Murray could tune out the noise and play more instinctually at the line of scrimmage, but those moments were far outshined by the many instances of being lost in space and pushed out of run fits.
Murray’s an excellent buy-low, post-hype option for a team that has room for a throwback-style linebacker, and letting Murray play in a narrow-scoped role where he can focus on tormenting running backs and green dog blitzing could lead to a comeback.
- Franchise Tag Likelihood: None
- Projected Contract: 2 Years, $8.5M, $4.25M APY, $1.5M GTD
- Year One Cap Hit: $3.05M
Be sure to check back in and around the site for more projections, as we will add more in the coming days and weeks.
