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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.

[RELATED: Cardinals Not WR Shopping Marquise Brown]

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 Not Shopping WR Marquise Brown

October 21st, 2023 at 9:14pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals sit at the bottom of the NFC West, and the team’s lack of success has naturally led to some trade rumblings. While Marquise Brown would seem to be a worthy trade candidate, Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes that the Cardinals aren’t looking to deal the wide receiver.

“Hollywood” hasn’t seen a significant drop-off in production this season despite going from Kyler Murray to Joshua Dobbs at quarterback. The receiver is pacing the Cardinals in receptions (29), receiving yards (334), and touchdowns (three). This follows a 2022 campaign in Arizona where Brown finished with 67 catches for 709 yards and three touchdowns. Brown missed a handful of games while recovering from a fractured foot.

The former Ravens first-round pick is playing out the 2023 campaign on his fifth-year option, and he’s set to hit unrestricted free agency following the season. Considering the Cardinals’ unlikely playoff chances and Brown’s uncertain future in Arizona, the receiver seemed like a logical trade candidate. However, Russini notes that the wideout “looks to be part of this team’s future,” a potential hint that the Cardinals will look to retain the receiver this offseason.

Further, the Cardinals aren’t in any rush to add draft capital. As Russini notes, the front office is currently armed with six picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Cardinals would probably be hard pressed to recoup the first-round pick they gave to Baltimore for Brown, especially since most suitors would view the receiver as a rental. The front office would presumably rather take their chances with Brown’s free agency than take on another non-Day 1 pick.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23

October 21st, 2023 at 8:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos 

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants 

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.

The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.

Cardinals Activate S Budda Baker

October 21st, 2023 at 2:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

Kyler Murray‘s 2023 debut will have to wait at least one more week, but the Cardinals will have another top player back in the fold tomorrow. Safety Budda Baker has been activated from injured reserve and is expected to play in Week 7, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The team has since confirmed the move.

Baker, like Murray, was designated for return earlier this week. That move opened up both players’ 21-day practice window during which activation is required to avoid season-ending IR. Murray’s ramp-up period will give backup quarterback Josh Dobbs at least one more game at the helm, but Arizona’s defense will welcome Baker’s return to game action.

The latter suffered a hamstring injury during practice in advance of Week 2, which led to his IR stint. That marked the longest injury absence of his career, and left Arizona without the two-time All-Pro on the backend. Baker will give a notable boost to an Arizona defense which ranks 22nd in the league in passing yards allowed per gam (243) and which has seen only two defensive backs record an interception so far.

The 27-year-old had an eventful offseason, with his desire for a market-leading contract leading to a trade request which eventually went public. In the end, team and player worked out a compromise which guaranteed his 2023 compensation (including a $13.1MM base salary), but he remains signed through 2024 at a non-guaranteed figure of $14.6MM. With the Cardinals sitting at 1-5, many expect the rebuilding team to adopt a sellers stance ahead of the upcoming deadline.

The play of Baker – who has earned Pro Bowl acclaim in each of the past four seasons and five overall – will no doubt go a long way in determining his potential trade market. He has eclipsed 100 tackles four times in his career along with multiple interceptions every year from 2020-22. It will be worth watching how much interest he generates upon return, as the Cardinals look to continue their trend of better-than-expected performances this season.

Bringing Baker back will use up one of Arizona’s seven remaining IR activations. Murray’s return (from the PUP list) will not count toward that total, but it will likewise be a notable development for the Cardinals as they look to get healthier in the coming weeks.

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.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/18/23

October 18th, 2023 at 7:39pm CST by Ely Allen

Minor transactions from around the league today:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

The Giants are dealing with an unprecedented epidemic at offensive tackle right now as their injury report starts to read like a phone book. Already missing starter Andrew Thomas and primary backup Matt Peart, New York went into Sunday night’s game with Evan Neal and Joshua Ezeudu bookending the line. Pugh had recently been brought in to help address the team’s depth at guard, but when Ezeudu exited the game with a toe injury, and was subsequently placed on injured reserve, Pugh kicked out and played the rest of the game at tackle with the first-team offense. Pugh will now serve as depth at tackle, as will Philips, who started his career in Baltimore as a guard before proving his versatility for the Ravens and Giants. He started five games for New York last year.

Texans Claim OLB Myjai Sanders

October 18th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

A third-round Cardinals draftee last year, Myjai Sanders quickly fell out of favor with the team’s new regime. The Cincinnati alum hit waivers Tuesday, but he did not move through to free agency.

The Texans submitted a successful claim on Sanders, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This will give the productive college sack artist another opportunity and keep him tied to his rookie contract, which runs through 2025. Sanders is attached to a $622K base salary, with a $1.17MM base due in 2024. The Texans are not on the hook for any guaranteed money.

Arizona cut Sanders after designating him to return from IR. The 25-year-old defender did not end up counting against Arizona’s IR activations, having not been activated. The Cardinals having drafted Sanders to work in Vance Joseph‘s defense — during Steve Keim‘s final year as GM — made his roster spot less solidified now that the team has a new regime in place. He will head to a 3-3 Texans team with a new head coach in place.

Keim’s final draft began with the Marquise Brown trade, but two third-round picks went to edge rushers. The Cards chose Cameron Thomas 87th overall and nabbed Sanders at No. 100. Sanders started four games as a rookie, while Thomas worked exclusively as a second-stringer. Helping Cincinnati become the first Group of Five team to qualify for the College Football Playoff, Sanders totaled three sacks as a rookie, playing 30% of the Cardinals’ defensive snaps.

The Cards have made some changes since, moving Zaven Collins to the edge. Thomas remains, while Dennis Gardeck is now playing regularly on defense as well. Victor Dimukeje, a 2021 sixth-rounder, has emerged as a part-timer. The Cards also used a second-round pick on BJ Ojulari this year. This situation prompted the Cardinals to cut bait on Sanders, draft investment notwithstanding, rather than use an IR activation on him.

After a 27th-place ranking last season, the Texans’ defense sits ninth in points allowed through six games. DeMeco Ryans‘ unit now features No. 3 overall pick Will Anderson anchoring the edge, with contract-year rusher Jonathan Greenard remaining a starter upon the team converting to a 4-3 scheme. In his age-36 season, Jerry Hughes also retains a prominent role. Dylan Horton, a fourth-round rookie, joins Hughes as a rotational rusher. Deeper than last season, Houston’s edge corps still only features one player — Greenard — with more than two sacks.

Sanders marks the second pass rusher the Texans have added this month. Ryans picked up one of his former 49ers charges, Kerry Hyder, signing him to the practice squad. While Sanders has proven far less than the veteran D-end, his age and draft status will provide a path straight to another active roster.

The Texans released Cory Littleton to make room for Sanders, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. As a vested veteran, Littleton will not need to pass through waivers. The eighth-year linebacker will stay in Houston on the practice squad. The Texans signed Littleton to a one-year deal this offseason, adding Denzel Perryman as well. Littleton, 29, has been a starter for most of his career but has only logged 17 defensive snaps this season.

Cardinals Waive OLB Myjai Sanders

October 17th, 2023 at 4:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Steve Keim’s final draft as Cardinals GM featured a third-round pick spent on Myjai Sanders. The edge rusher will not end up playing under the Monti Ossenfort–Jonathan Gannon regime.

The Cardinals waived Sanders on Tuesday. This move comes after the team tried to find a trade partner, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. The Cardinals recently designated Sanders to return from IR, though they have not activated him. His Day 2 contract is now free to be claimed.

Sanders was productive during his rookie season, collecting 23 tackles and three sacks in 13 games (four starts). He saw time in about 30 percent of his team’s defensive snaps during the 2022 season, and there was some hope he’d take a step forward during his sophomore campaign.

Instead, the linebacker found himself falling down the depth chart, and a hand injury ultimately kept him on the shelf for the start of the 2023 season. It sounds like Sanders is just about ready to return to the field, but there wasn’t a spot for him in a deep Cardinals OLBs room that features Zaven Collins, Dennis Gardeck, Victor Dimukeje, Cameron Thomas, Jesse Luketa, and BJ Ojulari.

The Cardinals have been quick to move on from Keim’s 2022 draft class. Sanders is now the third 2022 third-round pick to get cut by the team, with the linebacker joining cornerback Christian Matthew and offensive lineman Lecitus Smith.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/14/23

October 14th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions heading into the Week 6 weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Dean took the starting role the Eagles had in store for him in Week 1, but a foot injury interrupted his second NFL campaign. The 22-year-old was poised to return ahead of Sunday’s game by returning to practice earlier this week, though, and a first-team role is expected to await him upon suiting up. Dean taking on a heavy workload will relegate Nicholas Morrow (who was promoted from the practice squad) to backup duty despite the latter’s strong performances so far.

Seattle has seen fellow corners Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen enjoy considerable success, but the team’s secondary will be shorthanded without Bryant. The latter will miss at least the next four weeks as a result of the IR move as he recovers from a toe injury. The 2022 fourth-rounder, who has seen his defensive snap share jump from 65% to 77% this year, has not played since Week 2.

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