The A’s might be hoping Kyler Murray fails so they can succeed.
It’s an odd situation, especially since the A’s believed in Murray enough to spend the No. 9 overall draft pick on him last summer, but his announcement Monday that he’ll pursue an NFL career has created it.
Even then, the fight for Murray’s service hasn’t ended, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. That’s because of the following factors:
-- The A’s can offer Murray a guaranteed contract more lucrative than an NFL team can give him. NFL teams are bound by draft slots, while the A’s can pay whatever they like, their reputation as a frugal team be damned.