Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb Trade to Cardinals Demanded by QB Kyler Murray? Anatomy of a Rumor
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb Trade to Cardinals Demanded by QB Kyler Murray? Anatomy of a Rumor Sports Illustrated A disgruntled Murray strips his social media accounts of all connections to the Cardinals, a common (if pouty) practice among players dissatisfied with progress in contract negotiations. He is also eligible for a new deal now. The Cardinals to this point obviously haven't given him what he wants. Said Lamb - a good friend of Murray's from their University of Oklahoma days - told NBC Sports that he supports the idea of the QB getting a new deal. “It is time for him to get paid, I agree,” Lamb said. So the social media scrub occurs - but some find it noteworthy that among the few photos left posted is one of Murray and Lamb. STEP 4: In a hopefully responsible manner (while still trying to have fun with the silliness of it all), CowboysSI.com addresses why Murray is "playing footsie'' with Lamb. Despite the continued gossip, the Cardinals' true feelings about Murray are mirrored by the Cowboys' open feelings about Lamb.
Published : 3 years ago by Mike Fisher, https://www.facebook.com/FishSports in Sports
Let's call this "Anatomy of a Rumor'' and break it down into eight steps ...
FRISCO - The NFL is playing "The Telephone Game'' with Kyler Murray’s future with the Arizona Cardinals (which is fair) and with CeeDee Lamb's future with the Dallas Cowboys (which is ridiculous).
Let's call this "Anatomy of a Rumor'' and break it down into eight steps ...
STEP 1: The Cardinals flop. Arizona started the season 7-0, with Murray an MVP candidate. The Cardinals stumbled from there, and lost in the first round of the playoffs. A great deal of the criticism was directed at Murray, the No. 1 player taken in his NFL Draft, who did not perform well in the late-going.
STEP 2: A disgruntled Murray strips his social media accounts of all connections to the Cardinals, a common (if pouty) practice among players dissatisfied with progress in contract negotiations. Murray has played out the first three years of his rookie contract and has a fifth-year option by the team that will likely be exercised prior to the final year of his rookie deal. He is also eligible for a new deal now.
The Cardinals to this point obviously haven't given him what he wants.
Said Lamb - a good friend of Murray's from their University of Oklahoma days - told NBC Sports that he supports the idea of the QB getting a new deal.
“It is time for him to get paid, I agree,” Lamb said. “He’s very dynamic at what he does. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets paid soon.”
STEP 3: "Soon'' isn't happening soon enough. So the social media scrub occurs - but some find it noteworthy that among the few photos left posted is one of Murray and Lamb.
STEP 4: In a hopefully responsible manner (while still trying to have fun with the silliness of it all), CowboysSI.com addresses why Murray is "playing footsie'' with Lamb.
STEP 5: Somebody in the non-mainstream media (no disrespect intended) runs with the rumor - a largely idiotic one, as we will explain in a moment - that what Murray really wants from Arizona isn't a contract, but rather a trade.
And he frames it as "exclusive news.''
Kyler is, per the "news,'' demanding that Arizona trade for his pal Lamb - or else.
And away we go ...
STEP 6: Rather than poke holes and poke fun at this notion, the idea gains more momentum as "The Telephone Game'' is played across social media. The "reports'' lack logic; Lamb is a Pro Bowler and budding star with the Cowboys and is playing under the terms of his rookie deal - he's highly affordable and highly productive.
To this date, Cowboys sources have told us they've received no such phone call from the Cardinals. And we don't need sources to tell us that short of a ridiculous haul in trade, Dallas would barely bother even answering such a call.
STEP 7: Tucked in here somewhere is an ESPN report that paints Murray - the DFW native who to this point has a fairly pristine reputation - as a bad apple.
“The odd vibe between the Cardinals an Kyler Murray is indeed alarming,” Mortensen writes in a tweet. “Murray is described as self-centered, immature and finger pointer, per sources.''
The source of this information would have to be the Cardinals, who are slapping back at Murray for slapping at them with his "pouting.''
STEP 8: Sources inside the Cardinals work to calm the situation, leaking to reporters that he is viewed as their franchise QB.
Which is wise. Because he is.
And otherwise? Despite the continued gossip, the Cardinals' true feelings about Murray are mirrored by the Cowboys' open feelings about Lamb. Amari Cooper's contract is under question. Michael Gallup is a rehabbing free agent. Also entering free agency are fellow receivers Ced Wilson and Malik Turner. The idea of Dallas voluntarily stripping all of the talent from its receivers room in one spring is preposterous. ...
Unless of course the Cardinals want to also trade DeAndre Hopkins to the Cowboys.
Topics: Football, NFL, Sports Figures, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, Kyler Murray