Arizona Cardinals: Competitive advantage at quarterback appears to be ruined

For the past couple of weeks, Jonathan Gannon has steadfastly refused to name an opening-day starter at quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. The head coach cited a "competitive advantage" as the reason behind the mystery. If a report that surfaced on Wednesday is true, Gannon will be disappointed to learn that there is a leak somewhere down at Cards headquarters.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has revealed that veteran Joshua Dobbs will be under center when Arizona takes on the Washington Commanders this coming Sunday. Many members of the "Red Sea", including yours truly, were hoping that rookie Clayton Tune would get the start. Why would the Cardinals choose to roll with Dobbs, a journeyman who has been with the team for just a couple of weeks?

The fact that Washington possesses a ferocious defensive line may have played into the decision. Daron Payne, Chase Young, Jonathan Allen, and Montez Sweat are flat-out studs who were all first-round draft picks. It stands to reason that Tune would be a lot better off if he could make his NFL debut against a defense that isn't so formidable.

Arizona Cardinals could have several players start at quarterback this coming season

Dobbs, in all honesty, could also struggle mightily versus the Commanders. The 28-year-old has appeared in just eight professional contests, and has been credited with two starts. Nevertheless, the tiny bit of experience that Dobbs does bring to the table could make a significant difference when facing that lethal Washington pass rush.

The possibility still remains that Tune will be out there on the playing field for the Cards sooner rather than later. In fact, it would not be surprising in the least if the 24-year-old is pressed into action against the New York Giants in Week 2. Kicking off your pro career in the friendly confines of State Farm Stadium would surely be much more beneficial for a young signal-caller like Tune.

All of this talk would be academic if first-string passer Kyler Murray manages to return from his knee injury sometime in 2023. But for now, Dobbs has been chosen to lead the Arizona scoring attack. It's just too bad for Gannon that someone within the Cardinals organization was unable to keep a secret.