Kyler Murray‘s long-awaited return will commence in Week 10. The Cardinals used up Murray’s three-week return-to-practice window, giving the former Pro Bowler effectively a midseason training camp to work in Drew Petzing‘s system. That run-up may be important to how the organization proceeds at quarterback in 2024.
Moving parts exist here, given the Cardinals’ 2024 draft placement at this season’s midpoint. But the Cardinals want to see how Murray functions in their new play-caller’s system before making a determination about the longer-term future, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes.
The Cards are 1-8, but Petzing was able to coax some productive performances from Josh Dobbs, who had arrived just before the season via the Browns trade. Arizona ranks 27th in offensive DVOA, with Clayton Tune‘s disastrous outing in Cleveland making a notable impact on the team’s overall numbers. Exiting their 58-yard offensive showing against the Browns, the Cards rank 31st in passing. Petzing’s system — which came from Kevin Stefanski‘s Browns attack — is seen by some around the league as one that could boost Murray’s stock, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe adds (subscription required). That said, the dual-threat QB the Browns added — Deshaun Watson — has not exactly taken to it during his early run in Ohio.
Murray, 26, has received an extensive buildup period upon returning from his ACL tear. He is nearly 11 months removed from it. Theories about the Cardinals keeping Murray inactive as they determine their future, which could include Drake Maye or Caleb Williams, ended up unfounded. But Murray’s showing stands to impact how the team proceeds next year, regardless of Jonathan Gannon‘s interest in keeping Murray as long as he is the HC.
The Cardinals could be in position to either draft one of the top two QBs or follow in the Bears’ footsteps and auction the pick to accelerate a rebuild that would, in the latter scenario, include Murray as the centerpiece. The Texans have improved to the point it looks unlikely they will land a top-five draft slot for a fourth straight year; Houston traded its 2024 first-rounder to Arizona to move up for Will Anderson in April. It would stand to reason Murray being active will hurt the Cardinals’ chances of securing a top-two pick in the ’24 draft, but the Cardinals’ power structure wants to see the former No. 1 overall pick in this new system to collect more information.
Murray could conceivably restore some of his trade value by staying healthy upon return. But Howe adds that his contract — five years, $230.5MM ($103.3MM fully guaranteed) — is not seen as tradeable. It would cost the Cardinals a record-setting (for now, as Russell Wilson‘s contract remains on the Broncos’ cap sheet) $46MM in dead money if he were traded before June 1. The Cards would owe Murray an $11.9MM guarantee on March 17 — Day 5 of the 2023 league year — if he is still on the roster; that money covers part of his 2025 salary. The year-out guarantee would stand to drive an early trade, but it would be punitive for the Cardinals. And a shortage of teams, Murray’s flashes in the past notwithstanding, would be in line to take on that contract.
Arizona paying part of Murray’s deal could facilitate a better return, but an executive told Howe a Murray release could also be in play — in the event the Cardinals commit to drafting another QB — due to a lack of trade interest. Even in a post-June 1 scenario, the Cardinals would be hit with a $48.3MM dead-money bill in 2024 by cutting the QB they extended in July 2022. A QB-needy team not in position to nab Williams or Maye may also be interested in Murray, though the return would not approach what the Texans received for Watson last year.
The fork-in-the-road moment the Cardinals may soon face will be a storyline to monitor as Murray resumes play. They already dealt Dobbs to clear out a spot, doing so after Gannon had told the media the journeyman would start against the Browns in Week 9. Dobbs took it a step further this week, indicating Gannon informed him he would not be traded.
“Went to sleep, woke up Tuesday morning with a text from my agent saying, ‘Hey, you could be traded today because it’s the trade deadline,” Dobbs said on his Torchbearers podcast (via Yardbarker). “When I had the meeting with [Gannon] in Arizona, he looked at me in the face and he said, ‘You’re not being traded. You’re not being released. You’re going to be here in Arizona.”
After Gannon confirmed the Cardinals’ course change on Oct. 30, the team pulled the trigger on the Dobbs trade hours before the Oct. 31 deadline. The Cardinals sent Dobbs and a conditional seventh-round pick to the Vikings for a 2024 sixth-rounder. Dobbs, who made eight starts as a Cardinal, will start again for the Vikings in Week 10. It is not uncommon to see coaches and GMs backtrack on previous claims as trade rumors circulate, and it is also possible Gannon intended to start Dobbs once again but ended up being overruled.
The 28-year-old passer, after replacing a concussed Jaren Hall, piloted the Vikings to an upset win in Atlanta despite barely knowing Kevin O’Connell‘s system. Tune is now positioned as Murray’s backup, but the next two months will provide some answers about Arizona’s post-2023 QB direction.
Dobbs is the best of them all
If you want to get anything of value for Murray, the staff must get some positive game film. It is not out of the question to have Murray take the DVOA from 27th to 22/20th and then turn to evaluate the talent on the depth chart. Sure they will have to eat a bunch of salary cap, but that issues was inherited by the new regime.
Josh Dobbs is likely better off after having been jettisoned elsewhere by this outfit…always struck me as odd that Larry Fitzgerald stuck around here his entire career
Well they were mostly a winning franchise with Larry.
Never cave to a QBs demand for an extension after one good year
Link the correct Caleb Williams.
I would hope the new GM & HC had candid conservations about what their plan was for Kyler prior to being hired. If they want ‘their own guy’, then sit Kyler. If they’re cool to role & build around Kyler, then get him on the field.
But it’s the Cards, so you never know!
This article points out how Dobbs was told he was not going to be traded and that changed within 24 hours. It’s a reminder that no one has to commit to any decision about next year yet at all. Hopefully they discussed how they have 6 picks in the top 100 and if Kyler gets back to being Kyler, those could easily be used to make this team competitive again quickly. Maybe someone comes in like Carolina did last year for your pick and it makes sense to add the future draft capital instead. Or it is possible history repeats itself and Arizona moves on from a first round QB for the next young, cost controlled version and regardless of the money. There will always be options to find a trade partner at some point, but how good Kyler looks will be a major factor in what the components of compensation could be.
They will be a challenge to the Browns QB ineptness if they start over again at QB.
You had your reasons for extending Baby Legs. You know what/who you have the position regardless of any “next big thing” draft hype.
You’d still have Hollywood as WR1 and Mr Glass as RB1
How about using your strong draft capital to fix your team as a whole instead of at one position
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
AAAAHHHHH …. YEAH….. Well ….
I have spent many years living abroad and have interacted with literally thousands of ESL personnel. The vast majority of them are able to communicate better than that post. It’s too early to be drinking that much.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I lived in Asia for 10 years. A fun decade! Taught ESL when the 2007 recision hit. I was in manufacturing prior to that.
What part flew over your comprehension threshold?
I don’t see the Cardinals making any change at QB. Murray doesn’t seem to have what it takes to win it all, but that makes him no worse than 26 other QBs in the league. The real question is whether he can stay healthy, which will likely become much harder for a person his size if he loses any of his mobility.
Agreed. Whatever their reasons, for intents and purposes, they’ve locked themselves in with Murray. Changing directions this early into his extension is the equivalent of chasing their tail; which is compounded by not focusing on other essential needs.
They have a shot at Harrison, just don’t use #1 obviously.
Maybe think outside the box.
Agreed. Whatever their reasons, for all intents and purposes, they’ve locked themselves in with Murray. Changing directions this early into his extension is the equivalent of chasing their tail; which is compounded by not focusing on other essential needs.
They have a shot at Harrison, just don’t use #1 obviously.
Maybe think outside the box.