Kyler Murray

Cardinals Activate QB Kyler Murray

November 7th, 2023 at 3:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Expected to make his return to action in Week 10, Kyler Murray is now officially back on the Cardinals’ 53-man roster. The team used the full three-week practice window but activated Murray just before the deadline.

Murray suffered an ACL tear and meniscus damage in December 2022, and the Cardinals changed regimes during his rehab process. Jonathan Gannon has routinely praised Murray, and with the Cardinals rebuilding, the team has taken a methodical approach to redeploying him. It appears that re-emergence is imminent, however, with Murray all but certain to start against the Falcons in Week 10.

With Murray coming back from the reserve/PUP list, he will not count against the Cardinals’ IR activations. Though, at 1-8, the Cards’ activation number is not exactly a pressing matter. The team gained just 58 total yards against the Browns — the team’s fewest in a game since 1955 — with fifth-round rookie Clayton Tune overmatched against an elite Cleveland pass defense. Murray being on his way back will help Arizona’s offense, though it is worth wondering the team’s overall plans with the dual-threat talent.

After a frisky start, the Cardinals are where most expected them to be: in the running for the No. 1 overall pick. With the Texans looking likely to see their draft slot land outside the top three for the first time since 2020, the Cardinals’ only avenue toward a top-five pick looks to be via their own selection. Murray could impede that path, but Gannon has repeatedly said the fifth-year passer is in this regime’s plans post-2023. If that is the case, seeing Murray develop in OC Drew Petzing‘s offense now would give the Cardinals a good onramp toward the 2024 offseason program.

The Cardinals declared Murray fully healthy last month, which would line up with his rehab timeline. Murray went down Dec. 12, 2022. His return will come 11 months later. That sits behind some recent quarterbacks who recovered from ACL tears, but each injury is different. And, again, it is not like the Cardinals had a playoff spot in mind with regard to Murray’s timetable. Despite speculation of the team drafting a quarterback in 2024, Murray will not be held out for the entire season. This will create an interesting backdrop for the Cardinals, who were in a rebuild when they drafted Murray first overall in 2019.

Arizona’s offense will look a bit different with Murray compared to its 2022 iteration. The team drafted Paris Johnson in April — after rumors Murray was a fan of the Ohio State tackle — and released DeAndre Hopkins in May. Zach Ertz is back on IR, while James Conner is on the injured list as well. Though, Conner is eligible to return this week. The team still has Murray college teammate Marquise Brown on the roster, despite being a perceived seller at the deadline. Brown is in a contract year, but he will finish it in the desert.

Murray, 26, earned original-ballot Pro Bowl nods in 2020 and ’21. He missed time with ankle and hamstring injuries in 2021 and ’22, and although the former MLB top-10 draftee elevated a largely Hopkins-less Cardinals team to the playoffs during his third season, last year brought a significant step back. A woeful playoff performance preceded a bumpy ride toward an extension, one that included (and then didn’t) the oft-discussed homework clause. Friction with Kliff Kingsbury transpired before Murray’s injury, and his numbers dipped after the quality 2020 and ’21 showings. Murray will attempt to begin a bounce-back effort under Gannon and Petzing.

The Cardinals have Tune in place as their backup moving forward, having gone through a complicated QB year. The team has ditched two-year Murray backup Colt McCoy and released David Blough late this summer. Arizona acquired and then traded Josh Dobbs, who resurfaced in a big way in Minnesota in Week 9. Jeff Driskel is back on the team’s practice squad, returning and residing as the team’s de facto third-stringer.

Cardinals To Start Clayton Tune In Week 9

November 4th, 2023 at 3:05pm CST by Ben Levine

3:05pm: Not only will Murray not start this weekend, he will also not be activated from injured reserve today by the league’s 4:00pm deadline, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. There’s really no need to activate him if the Cardinals feel comfortable moving forward with Tune tomorrow, but with Murray’s 21-day practice window closing in the coming week, the clock is certainly ticking. If Murray isn’t activated this week, he will be forced to spend the remainder of the year on IR.

Backing up Tune tomorrow will be veteran backup quarterback Jeff Driskel, who was re-signed to the practice squad this week. The standard gameday elevation has not yet been announced but is expected with Tune currently standing as the sole quarterback on the active roster.

8:52am: Kyler Murray‘s return won’t come this weekend. Cardinals fifth-round rookie quarterback Clayton Tune is expected to get the start tomorrow against the Browns, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Cardinals traded Murray’s fill-in, Joshua Dobbs, earlier this week, an indication that the former first-overall pick was on the brink of playing. After being sidelined for the first half of the season while recovering from a torn ACL, Murray returned to practice last month, opening his 21-day window to be activated. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler points out, that activation window closes next week.

The team intended to take their quarterback decision down to the wire, with coach Jonathan Gannon telling reporters that he wanted to see how each of the players looked during Friday’s practice. While Gannon acknowledged that Murray has been pushing to return, the Cardinals wanted this to be an organizational decision. Per ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, the decision makers included Murray, Gannon, general manager Monti Ossenfort, and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, with owner Michael Bidwill also being kept in the loop.

“[Murray’s] told me he is ready — and I’m not even going to tell you when he told me he is ready — but he knows he needs to do certain things and keep stacking good days and keep getting reps and playing the position to be ready to play,” Gannon said yesterday (via Weinfuss).

While Murray continues to recover, the Cardinals will temporarily turn to Tune, a fifth-round pick out of Houston. The prospect put himself on the NFL map during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, tossing a combined 7o touchdowns vs. 20 interceptions. Dobbs played all of the snaps at QB for the Cardinals this season, although Tune did complete a single four-yard pass on a fake punt.

As ESPN’s Field Yates notes, Tune will be one of many QB changes in Week 9, with the Cardinals joining the Raiders (Aidan O’Connell), Vikings (Jaren Hall), Falcons (Taylor Heinicke), Giants (Daniel Jones), and Browns (Deshaun Watson) among the teams replacing their Week 8 starters. Further, Tune will become the ninth rookie QB to start a game this season; as Schefter notes, this already ties the full-season record for rookie starts.

Cardinals To Bench Josh Dobbs; Kyler Murray Week 9 Return In Play

October 30th, 2023 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals may end up starting at least three quarterbacks for a second straight season, but Kyler Murray‘s extended onramp complicates matters for the NFC West team. One issue will be resolved following Week 8; the Cardinals are set to bench Josh Dobbs.

Jonathan Gannon said Monday the Cardinals will bench Dobbs for their Week 9 matchup against the Browns, with Clayton Tune now in the picture to start. That said, Gannon has not ruled out Murray returning Sunday, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets. Following the Cards’ Week 8 loss to the Ravens, Gannon said Dobbs would receive another start. But after meeting with the three QBs Monday morning, the rookie HC has changed his mind. It will be either a Tune cameo or Murray’s long-awaited return against the Browns.

While Murray is clearly close, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports Tune is likely to receive the call for the Cards’ Cleveland trip. With the Browns ranking first in pass defense, this promises to be a difficult spot for the fifth-round rookie. But the Cardinals are in a clear rebuild, having never been expected to vie for a playoff spot this season. Tune will receive an early audition for the presumptive role of Murray’s long-term backup.

Murray has until Nov. 8 to be activated, but after deeming the two-time Pro Bowler fully healthy, Gannon (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) has seen the fifth-year passer resemble his pre-injury version in practice. If the Cardinals are moving Dobbs out of the picture, a Murray activation could be imminent. Murray has not played since Week 14 of last season, when he suffered ACL and meniscus injuries. The Cardinals have given the dual-threat talent an extended runup to his fifth season — and first under Gannon and OC Drew Petzing.

Had the Cardinals profiled as a contending team coming into the season, Murray likely would have debuted already. But they are in a rebuild and sitting 1-7. Murray patience has made sense through this lens, and Rapoport adds a Week 10 return is the more likely scenario.

The Cardinals took Tune at No. 139 this year, drafting the ex-Houston Cougar as part of a Day 2 trade with the Lions. As Detroit moved back into Round 3 for defensive tackle Brodric Martin, Arizona continued to stockpile picks. The team had already traded back in Rounds 1 and 2, allowing the Texans and Titans respective access to Will Anderson and Will Levis. Months before Dobbs arrived via trade, Tune came to the desert as part of what was then a crowded depth chart. But Colt McCoy, David Blough and Jeff Driskel are no longer with the Cardinals. Tune has operated as Dobbs’ backup throughout this season.

Tune boasted an impressive stat line in 2022, throwing 40 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions at the then-American Athletic Conference school. Over his final two years with the Cougars, Tune posted a 70-20 TD-INT ratio and averaged at least 8.8 yards per attempt in each slate. Tune should be expected to give way to Murray soon, but this will present an early opportunity. Should Murray return as the starter in Week 10, the Cards will have started seven QBs from 2022-23. McCoy, Blough and Trace McSorley started games last season.

Cardinals Not Shopping QB Kyler Murray

October 30th, 2023 at 10:31am CST by Sam Robinson

Kyler Murray is more than 10 months removed from the ACL tear that ended his 2022 season, and the Cardinals have deemed the former No. 1 overall pick fully healthy. But Joshua Dobbs has been assured he will start in Week 9, either leaving Murray on the reserve/PUP list or putting the two-time Pro Bowler in an unusual role as an active-roster backup.

It would seem likely the Cards will leave Murray on the PUP list, as he does not need to be activated until Nov. 8. Speculation has emerged about a potential trade, seeing as Arizona has a new regime in place that has signed off on a rebuild. Though, Jonathan Gannon has repeatedly said Murray is part of the team’s future.

That does not appear to have changed, despite the talented quarterback’s status as a healthy player who will not play in Week 9. The Cardinals are not shopping Murray, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who adds the team expects Murray to suit up in the next few weeks. While a recent report placed Nov. 5 as a potential return window, Murray’s return date will now be pushed back to at least Week 10.

Murray having signed a five-year, $230.5MM extension last summer undoubtedly affects his trade value, though Russini notes there are teams that could be interested in acquiring the fifth-year veteran. Coming off an ACL tear and meniscus damage, however, Murray has certainly held higher trade value compared to where it would be today. While speculation about the Cardinals drafting a quarterback — particularly if they land the 2024 No. 1 pick — may continue, Murray remains in the Gannon-Monti Ossenfort duo’s plans.

Midseason has loomed as the latest point in which a Murray return would commence. That said, the Cardinals — repeated competitiveness notwithstanding — have plunged into expected territory. Arizona is 1-7. That currently sits as the NFL’s worst record, with the Panthers having won in Week 8 to move to 1-6. We are still a bit away from draft-slot projections mattering too much, but the Caleb Williams rumors stand to intensify if this Cardinals trajectory persists. Murray departure rumors would gain steam in that event, so when exactly the team redeploys its four-year starter will be worth monitoring.

The Vikings losing Kirk Cousins for the season could conceivably make them an interested party, though the Jets — after Aaron Rodgers went down four plays into his Gang Green run — stood down and proceeded with an internal solution. Murray, 26, is also coming off a down year — one that helped lead to Kliff Kingsbury‘s firing. But he also stacked Pro Bowl invites on top of each other from 2020-21.

The Cardinals have given him an extended onramp in new OC Drew Petzing‘s system, but it will also be interesting to see if the team trades away more pieces at this week’s deadline, thus putting Murray in position to return with a worse nucleus around him. A few key variables exist here, but for now, Arizona’s plan still looks to be bringing the Steve Keim-era investment back this season.

QB Notes: Taylor, Cardinals, Bucs, Ridder

October 29th, 2023 at 8:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tyrod Taylor left Sunday’s game with a rib injury and needed to be hospitalized. The Giants announced they are keeping their backup-turned-starter in the hospital overnight for observation on his ribcage ailment. Taylor has a history of rib trouble, of course, as just more than three years have passed since the rib injection that ended his brief run as the Chargers’ starter. The pregame shot before Week 2 of the 2020 season resulted in a punctured lung. During Taylor’s one-season stint as the Texans’ starter, he missed a third of the season due to a hamstring malady. The journeyman came back as a backup, with Houston giving Davis Mills a shot to close that season.

Taylor almost certainly will be welcomed back as the Giants’ starter when he is ready, as the team pivoted to nearly run-only blueprint with practice squad elevation Tommy DeVito under center. Daniel Jones is not expected to be back until Week 10, as he continues to battle a neck injury. The latest coming out of that situation points to the well-paid starter dealing with a disk issue and weakness in his nonthrowing shoulder.

Here is the latest from the QB ranks:

The Cardinals have joined the Giants in playing a backup this season, and while they have pronounced Kyler Murray fully healthy after his December 2022 ACL tear, the team will once again hold out the Pro Bowler. Jonathan Gannon announced postgame Joshua Dobbs will start in Week 9. Murray remains on Arizona’s reserve/PUP list, having been designated for return on Oct. 18. The Cardinals do not have to activate him until Nov. 8, giving them one more game to keep Murray off the roster. Early reports indicated an early-season return would be in play for Murray, and Michael Bidwill doubled down on that in April. But the organization has proceeded cautiously with the former No. 1 pick, who has also needed to learn a new offense. It will be interesting to see if the sinking Cardinals redeploy Murray as their starter immediately upon activating him.
Baker Mayfield did not escape Thursday’s loss in Buffalo unscathed, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler noting the free agent pickup is dealing with a knee contusion. Mayfield is planning to play through this injury, but it has caused him discomfort. The Buccaneers QB’s MRI did not reveal any structural damage, however.
While Kenny Pickett was initially expected to return to Sunday’s Steelers-Jaguars matchup following his rib injury, via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor, the Steelers ruled out their starter and kept Mitch Trubisky in the game. Pickett left the game before the half but was warming up to come back; instead, the team shut him down. Benched early during his first Steelers season, Trubisky became needed on multiple occasions due to Pickett’s two-concussion rookie year. It is not yet known how much time (if any) the 2022 first-rounder will miss as a result of his latest injury.
Desmond Ridder‘s midgame exit did not stem from performance issues, Arthur Smith said (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Ridder was evaluated for a concussion, but while he was cleared of a head injury, Smith said he “didn’t think Des was right” following the exit. The Falcons kept Taylor Heinicke in the game as a result. Heinicke logged one of the most active QB2 seasons in NFL history two years ago, replacing Ryan Fitzpatrick in Week 1 and keeping the Washington reins the rest of the way. The Falcons gave the multiyear Washington starter a two-year, $14MM deal this offseason. Ridder has delivered an uneven season thus far, but the Falcons passed on chances to acquire a starter-caliber QB in order to keep him in place. With the team proclaiming Ridder the starter in March, it does not appear he is in danger of being pulled.

QB Notes: Purdy, Murray, Colts, Love, Howell

October 27th, 2023 at 3:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brock Purdy‘s sensational start to his career doubles as a win for the 49ers‘ scouting department. Had the team not used the 2022 draft’s final selection on the Iowa State quarterback, it would have needed to fend off multiple other clubs in the UDFA chase. The Vikings were prepared to make an aggressive pursuit of Purdy in the post-draft signing period, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com notes. Purdy said he was considering the Vikings, 49ers or Texans if he went undrafted.

Minnesota does not have a Kirk Cousins heir apparent lined up, though it did draft Jaren Hall this year, and has its longtime starter in a contract year. The Vikings also use a somewhat similar scheme compared to the 49ers, with the Sean McVay–Kyle Shanahan offenses derived from the Mike Shanahan–Gary Kubiak system. Purdy landing with Houston probably would not have been optimal, given the state of the organization at that point. Though, the Texans — who used Davis Mills and Kyle Allen as starters last year — would have presented by far the best chance for early playing time. Purdy’s seventh-round 49ers deal runs through 2025.

Here is the latest from the QB scene:

Kyler Murray is not yet on the Cardinals‘ active roster, being designated for return off the PUP list last week. But the Cardinals took Murray off their injury report Thursday. While that opened the door to a possible Saturday activation for Week 8, the team lists the two-time Pro Bowler as doubtful for the Ravens matchup. Jonathan Gannon has said the Cards have a ramp-up period in mind for Murray, who is 10 1/2 months removed from his ACL tear. Week 9 or Week 10 have surfaced as windows for Murray’s re-emergence. Though Murray must be activated by Nov. 8 in order to play this season, it will be interesting to see if the Cardinals start him immediately once he is activated or extend the final stretch of his recovery via more Joshua Dobbs starts.
Anthony Richardson is not expected to require a second surgery to repair his AC joint injury. The Colts quarterback underwent surgery this week, and Jim Irsay said no new issues emerged during the procedure. Dr. Neil ElAttrache performed the surgery in Los Angeles, per ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder. No timetable exists for Richardson’s return, per Irsay, but given the October operation, he should be ready for offseason work.
Aaron Rodgers‘ first Packers season resulted in a 6-10 record, marking a significant step back after Brett Favre guided them to the 2007 NFC championship game. Rodgers finished 11th in QBR in 2008, which preceded an eight-year streak of Packer playoff berths. Through six games, Jordan Love sits 17th in QBR but ranks last among qualified starters in completion percentage (57.5). Green Bay has been outscored 63-6 over its past four first halves. After the Packers saw considerable strides from Love in 2022, leading to the Rodgers divorce, Matt LaFleur indicated (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky) the team’s confidence in the fourth-year QB is “not wavering one bit.” Love, who signed a half-measure extension this offseason to take the place of a fifth-year option, will almost definitely have this full season to prove himself. Barring a lackluster second half, should go into the offseason as the Packers’ 2024 starter.
Ron Rivera was a bit less emphatic when assessing Sam Howell‘s status. The fourth-year Washington HC said (via the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala) he is committed to the 2022 fifth-round pick, but he “can’t predict the future.” Howell has shown flashes; he is also on pace to break the single-season record for sacks taken. David Carr‘s rookie year, with the expansion Texans, currently resides atop that list (76). Howell’s 40 through seven games lead the NFL by 12. Howell sits 25th in QBR. With Rivera’s job far less secure than LaFleur’s, it would not surprise if Jacoby Brissett saw time at some point. Though, the Commanders passed on pursuing upgrades this offseason out of a commitment to Howell, creating the perception of a long leash.

Latest On Kyler Murray’s Cardinals Return

October 22nd, 2023 at 4:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cardinals took a signficant step toward having Kyler Murray back in the lineup this past week by designating him for return. it may still be some time until the team’s franchise quarterback next sees the field, though.

By opening Murray’s practice window, the Cardinals started the three-week countdown for him to be activated from the PUP list. Failure to do so will prevent him from suiting up in 2023, but the team has expressed confidence he has made major progress from last season’s ACL tear from a physical standpoint in particular. An acclimation process within new OC Drew Petzing‘s scheme is, understandably, required.

Early or mid-November represents the expected return time for the former No. 1 pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Murray was quickly ruled out for today’s contest, but coming back at or past the end of his three-week practice window would have him line him to play either Nov. 5 or Nov. 12. For some time that has been the rough point in the schedule at which Murray’s expected return has realistically been placed at, and players are of course not required to play immediately upon being activated.

Given Murray’s contract status, his health situation through the second half of the season will be worth watching. The monster extension he signed last summer has him on the books through 2028, with plenty of rolling guarantees in place for much of the pact. That includes $29.9 million in 2025 compensation which will be come guaranteed in full if Murray is unable to pass a physical this coming March, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter details.

For that reason, some have speculated the Cardinals would elect to keep the 26-year-old sidelined for the entire campaign to ensure he will be healthy come the offseason. The team is confident in their commitment to him for the short- and long-term future, though, something head coach Jonathan Gannon has repeatedly commented on. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer confirms Arizona – a team sitting at 1-5 heading into Week 7 – is not eyeing a strategy which would include moving on from Murray and drafting a successor in April (video link).

Rapoport’s report notes how the Murray pact could be relatively easy for an acquiring team to absorb, although previous pieces on that question have pointed to apathy on the part of other clubs with respect to its tradability. So long as the Cardinals stay the course with their current plan, though, that will be a moot while all eyes turn to his ongoing rehab in anticipation of his 2023 debut.

Cardinals Designate Kyler Murray, Budda Baker For Return

October 20th, 2023 at 5:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 20: The Cardinals ruled out Murray for Week 7, a move which comes as little surprise as they continue to proceed with caution with their franchise passer. That means his earliest return could come the following Sunday in a home contest against the Ravens, by which point some or all of his second week of pre-activation practicing will have taken place. Baker, meanwhile, could be in the lineup against the Seahawks in Week 7 since he is listed as questionable.

As ESPN’s Josh Weinfus notes, Arizona now sees Murray as being physically able to play. Signficant rust needs to be shaken off, however, while the former No. 1 pick also needs to acclimate to the team’s new offense led by Drew Petzing. He will have ample time in that regard, and Dobbs could be in line for further starts beyond Week 7. Much of the team’s plans with Murry will depend on the progress he makes in the coming days while he continues his ramp-up period.

OCTOBER 18: Earlier this week, Jonathan Gannon hinted at Kyler Murray returning to the practice field. The Cardinals have operated cautiously with their Pro Bowl quarterback, but they will see him practice again beginning Wednesday.

The Cardinals designated Murray for return from the reserve/PUP list. The team also designated Budda Baker for return; Baker has been on IR since the Monday after Week 2. Both players will have three weeks to be activated, though only Baker’s return designation would count against the eight-activation limit associated with IR. Either player failing to be activated, however, would result a season-ending designation. The Cardinals have used one of their eight allotted IR activations so far this season.

Murray suffered a torn ACL on December 12, 2022 and is well within range of a normal return timetable. Baker sustained a hamstring injury that kept him out for Week 2. While the Cardinals have predictably stumbled out of the starting blocks, sitting 1-5, the undermanned team has shown steady fight in its early-season outings. Murray would certainly stand to improve the Cardinals’ chances of picking up victories, and while rumblings of a potential 2024 separation amid a rebuild have surfaced, Gannon has said consistently Murray is part of the team’s future.

Arizona has used late-summer trade acquisition Josh Dobbs as its starter, scrapping the initial Colt McCoy plan upon making the trade with Cleveland. Dobbs has offered respectable work in his first true go-round as a starter, though he has completed less than 50% of his passes over the past two weeks. With the Cardinals slow-playing Murray’s return, it should probably be expected the journeyman backup/rocket scientist will see a bit more time. Gannon said Murray will need time to ramp up before playing again, pointing to more Dobbs starts during the regular QB1’s PUP-return window.

The Cardinals gave Murray a five-year, $230.5MM extension in July 2022 but saw the dual-threat standout struggle in what became Kliff Kingsbury‘s final season. Clashes between Murray and the coach that brought him to the desert ensued, with a 4-13 season leading to the ousters of Kingsbury and GM Steve Keim. Gannon said Murray was a key reason he took the Cardinals’ job. While the Cardinals hold two first-round picks in 2024, the Texans (3-3) are faring better than expected. Arizona’s shot at the No. 1 pick would more likely come from its own choice. Murray would stand to impede beneath-the-surface organizational aspirations at the top pick, but it certainly looks like the former No. 1 overall draftee will suit up soon.

Murray, 26, ripped off original-ballot Pro Bowl seasons in 2020 and ’21, leading the Cardinals to the playoffs in the latter slate. Murray completed a career-high 69.2% of his passes in 2021, averaging 7.9 yards per attempt. Last season produced a 6.1 Y/A figure, injecting some uncertainty into Murray’s trajectory. Close to completing his rehab journey, Murray is in line to offer an update on his mid-20s form (while debuting in a better Cardinals uniform). Early this offseason, Michael Bidwill projected an early-season return. But reports had pegged a midseason re-emergence as the more likely scenario. Wednesday’s designation puts Murray on track to hit that target.

Bidwill said both Murray and Baker helped the Cardinals choose Gannon, a hire that concluded a meandering search. Baker requested a trade in February; the ask became known in April. Seeking a contract closer to the top of the safety pyramid, Baker begrudgingly returned to the team during minicamp. The sides reached a resolution, but Baker’s 2024 salary is nonguaranteed.

With Baker likely to be healthy before the Oct. 31 trade deadline, he is bound to come up in trade rumors. The Cardinals will be expected to deal some assets soon, as they are rebuilding under first-year GM Monti Ossenfort. The Cards have resisted to take steps on this front, though it will be interesting to see if a notable offer surfaces soon. The perennial Pro Bowler is the Cardinals’ longest-tenured defensive starter.

No Return Imminent For Cardinals’ Kyler Murray

September 30th, 2023 at 6:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Players who began the 2023 season on the PUP list are eligible to be activated as early as Week 5. That will not be the case for the Cardinals as it pertains to their starting quarterback, however.

Kyler Murray is not expected to resume practicing in the coming days, and his return is believed to be “weeks away,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Players on IR or the PUP list can only return to practice when their three-week activation window has been opened, so today’s update means the Cardinals will proceed with caution with their franchise passer.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon indicated last week that Murray may not resume practicing at the first opportunity, so this news comes as little surprise. More than nine months have transpired since Murray tore his ACL and ended his 2022 campaign. A return around the middle of this season has been mentioned as a realistic timeline, and Schefter’s colleague Josh Weinfuss confirms that is the “earliest” point at which Murray will likely next take the field in game action. Plenty could change in the coming days and weeks affecting that timeframe, of course.

Murray – whose presence Gannon has named as part of the reason he took the Cardinals’ head coaching gig this offseason – is on the books through 2028 as a result of the five-year, $230.5MM extension he signed last summer. Speculation picked up recently about a potential trade sending the former No. 1 pick out of Arizona in favor of the team starting over with another new QB in the draft, but Gannon has shot down such notions.

With Murray still squarely in the franchise’s plans, Joshua Dobbs remains in place as the Cardinals’ starter for the time being. Acquired via trade from the Browns in late August, the 28-year-old has put up a 72% completion percentage and has yet to throw an interception in three games to start the campaign. Those statistics have kept the Cardinals more competitive than expected in the early going, including an upset win over the Cowboys in Week 3. Dobbs will carry on in his QB1 duties for the foreseeable future with rookie Clayton Tune serving as his backup.

Schefter notes that Murray wants to return to action, encouraged by the performance of Gannon and the team so far. He has plenty of work remaining to reach the practice field, however, and for the time being he will stay sidelined. It will be interesting to see when the Cardinals deem Murray ready enough to open his activation window, and where the team finds itself at that point.

Jonathan Gannon Addresses Kyler Murray’s Return Timeline

September 22nd, 2023 at 5:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

All-Decade-teamers Adrian Peterson and Chris Harris rebounded from late-season ACL tears by Week 1 en route to All-Pro honors. More recently, Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks made his way back from a New Year’s Day tear to start in Week 1. But these major knee are different, producing asymmetrical recovery timelines. Kyler Murray is now more than nine months removed from his ACL tear, but the Cardinals are proceeding cautiously with their starting quarterback.

Murray resides on Arizona’s reserve/PUP list, keeping him out until at least Week 5. The Pro Bowl passer pointed to a near-future return in a Tik Tok message this week, offering “soon” to close a series of captions describing his recovery effort. Though, Jonathan Gannon is stopping short of declaring him as a surefire candidate to come back when first eligible.

“He’s doing well. We know the timetable of when he can return to play, but that doesn’t mean he will return to play and open his window then,” Gannon said, via AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban. “We’ll get him going when he is physically and mentally ready to play and knowing it will take some time and some weeks of practice to get comfortable with what he is doing. I’m not in a hurry with that. I’d love to have him out there; he’s itching to be back. But we’ll take that one day at a time.”

At the offseason’s outset, a timetable in which Murray did not come back until around the midseason point surfaced. Michael Bidwill then said he expected the franchise QB to make an early-season return. It seems like the former timeline will be how this plays out. Murray, 26, can return to practice in Week 3; it is unclear if the Cardinals will take that step just yet.

Gannon has consistently praised Murray and in February indicated he would not have taken Arizona’s HC job without the presence of the former No. 1 overall pick. Bidwill also included Murray in the decision-making process that produced Gannon as Kliff Kingsbury‘s replacement. As the season began with Josh Dobbs as the Cardinals’ starter, Gannon doubled down on his commitment to Murray.

The Cardinals had been expected to go with Colt McCoy as their Week 1 starter, but the team released the 37-year-old QB just before the season. Dobbs taking the snaps represented a surprise, considering he was with the Browns until a late-August trade reunited him with OC Drew Petzing, Cleveland’s former QBs coach. Mock drafts that lead off with the Cardinals drafting 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams continue to surface, and this has remained a talking point as the franchise crafts a rebuild. Murray’s presence would interfere with this purported plan, and a potential comeback around the midseason point would certainly give the Cardinals a better chance to win consistently.

For now, Murray remains in place as a rehabbing franchise centerpiece. An awkward departure storyline — barely a year after the organization gave Murray a five-year, $230.5MM extension — could heat up if the Cardinals have one of the NFL’s worst records around midseason, and Gannon’s latest comments do not make it look like Murray will be on the field in Week 5.

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