Kyler Murray is Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite

Kyler Murray has been a big reason the Arizona Cardinals have improved on their season record from a year ago. He can win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

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The Arizona Cardinals are already guaranteed with a better record than a season ago. Through the first eight weeks of the 2019 NFL season, the Cardinals have won three games and have a tie against the Detroit Lions back in Week 1. A huge reason for their success this season has been the play of 2019 No. 1 overall pick in quarterback Kyler Murray.

On this week’s episode of Stacking the Box, FanSided‘s Matt Verderame and Mark Carman, along with former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, look at who some of the best rookies in the game this year and see if Murray is destined to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (16:22).

“I think Kyler Murray is the guy,” said Schwartz. “I’ve been impressed with this offense. I didn’t think it would be as good as it has. Now look, they took advantage in the three previous weeks with bad defenses and they came back to either against the Saints, who obviously are an outstanding defense. But I still think he ends up winning Rookie of the Year.”

Schwartz would say that as the year progresses, it will become increasingly obvious that Murray is the right pick for this honor. As of Week 8, Murray does face interesting competition in the form of Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II. Could either of these rookies end up taking the award from Murray down the stretch?

Well, the Raiders will have to stay in the mix in the AFC for Jacobs to remain in contention. He’s a great running back, but not playing quarterback in a league that has two really strong rookies in Murray and Minshew doesn’t help his cause in the long-run.

As for Minshew, he’s probably the most likely candidate to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year not named Kyler Murray. The reason for this is he has gone 4-3 in his seven starts this season in Jacksonville filling in for Nick Foles. His biggest problem is if he stays the Jaguars starter once Foles returns from the IR. With nobody pressing him in Arizona, this is Murray’s award to lose.

Here are a few other topics that were discussed on this week’s episode of Stacking the Box:

• Carm melts down about the Bears – 0:33
• Geoff: Lamar Jackson fanboys are going to get a reality check – 9:00
• Verderame: Saints vs. Packers is NFCCG – 22:20
• 49ers-Cardinals odds – 35:25

All this and more!

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