Report: LA Chargers "unlikely" to pick up fifth year option on LB Kenneth Murray

The Los Angeles Chargers are unlikely to pick up the fifth-year option of their linebacker, Kenneth Murray, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. During his three seasons in the NFL, Murray has put up pretty good numbers, racking up 214 tackles and two sacks in 44 games. He had his best production during his rookie season, racking up 107 tackles and one sack.

Kenneth Murray had a prolific college career with the Sooners

Murray was selected by the Chargers in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He enjoyed a prolific career in his college football when he suited up for the Oklahoma Sooners, finishing his time there as one of the most productive linebackers in program history. Once he hung up his cleats there, he racked up 335 total tackles and 37 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks, tying him for 11th in school history in career tackles (ninth among linebackers). Murray also ranked eighth in career sacks by a linebacker.

In 2019, he racked up plenty of accolades for the Sooners, bringing home third team AP All-American honors. In the 2019 campaign, Murray started all 14 games, leading the team with 102 tackles and 17 tackles for loss. While he didn’t reel in quite as many accolades, his most productive season with the Sooners came during the 2018 season. He started all 14 games, leading the team with 155 total tackles, which was the most by an Oklahoma player since 2007. Following the season, Murray was named second team All-Big 12 by the league’s coaches. His 155 tackles ranked second in the Big 12 that year. He also posted mind-boggling numbers against Army on Sept. 22, 2018, racking up 28 tackles in one game–the most in FBS since at least 2000 and the second most in Sooner football history.

Coming out of Elkins High School (Missouri City, Texas), Murray was rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 56 overall edge rusher in America, according to the On3 Consensus Rankings for the 2017 cycle.