Is Deshaun Watson to blame for Kyler Murray's contract hold out?

Kyler Murray has given the Arizona Cardinals an unexpected headache this season by demanding a new deal. This comes as the quarterback market has boomed with deals for top signal-callers around the league.

Deshaun Watson leads the way in terms of shocking deals, given his $230 million fully-guaranteed contract with the Cleveland Browns. This was a historic signing and other quarterbacks may now try to demand a fully-guaranteed deal now that it is no longer unprecedented.

NFL players and agents always use the latest transactions to figure out the market. In Murray's case, his complaints started early in the offseason. But is it fair to say Watson is to blame for his ongoing grievance with the Cardinals?

Deshaun Watson certainly did not help the Cardinals in retaining Kyler Murray

Cleveland Browns Introduce Quarterback Deshaun Watson

It's safe to say that Watson's deal certainly didn't help the Cardinals. Yet that is true for every front office around the NFL, as they look at Cleveland wondering why they warped the market like this. The simple answer may just be demand.

It is also safe to say that this is not the only reason for Murray's current situation. He clearly entered the offseason frustrated with his current status. In his eyes, he showed up to Arizona as the No. 1 overall pick and led the team into the postseason in his third year. He has 70 passing touchdowns in those three years and has added 20 more on the ground.

His abilities as a runner undoubtedly contribute to his desire for a new lucrative deal as soon as possible. Having dealt with injuries in 2021 the last thing he wants is an injury that harms his potential earnings.

He can look to Cleveland again as an example of that. Baker Mayfield was set to earn himself a huge deal in 2021, only to tear his labrum and see his value drop so low that he is now seeking a trade just about anywhere. Murray is putting his foot down and demanding a deal before anything like that can happen.

Watson's contract is surely factoring into Murray's new contract demands. However, such a deal may not happen again if teams decide they will not follow the Browns' lead and give a quarterback so much guaranteed money.

This offseason has proven that the players now hold all the power. If they don't get what they want, they can demand a trade because surely another team will take a chance on a star.

So even if the Cardinals think Murray is crazy for demanding a potentially record salary, he may get his wish based on how the market has changed. That was true both before and after Watson signed his unprecedented new contract.