Arizona Cardinals create backup quarterback controversy by acquiring Josh Dobbs

Roughly two weeks from now, the Arizona Cardinals will kick off the 2023 campaign against the Washington Commanders. Incredibly, the team still hasn't revealed who the opening-day quarterback will be. The battle for the right to be starter Kyler Murray's stand-in is still ongoing, but a winner will need to be named soon.

For awhile there, it was looking like a leader had emerged in the Cards' signal-caller competition. Clayton Tune, a fifth-round choice this past April, has performed much better than veteran Colt McCoy during the preseason. The rookie has been impressive, but Arizona's first-year coaching staff is apparently looking for more.

On Thursday, the Cardinals acquired veteran quarterback Josh Dobbs from the Cleveland Browns. According to reports, general manager Monti Ossenfort made a strong play for the 28-year-old back in March, only to see Dobbs sign with the Browns. Ossenfort was far from discouraged, however, and his persistent pursuit of the seventh-year pro eventually paid off.

A significant amount of Arizona Cardinals followers want quarterback Clayton Tune to be the starter

There are a contingent of Cards fans who believe that the intriguing Tune should be under center while Murray is sidelined. It seems that McCoy is still in the mix, but the 36-year-old has not made a good case for himself. In fact, it remains to be seen if the acquisition of Dobbs could even cost the classy McCoy his roster spot.

Arizona isn't expected to win many matchups this coming fall. Therefore, starting a journeyman like Dobbs (even on a temporary basis) doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Wouldn't the Cardinals be better off seeing what an exciting young prospect like Tune can do when the games start to matter in September?

It's certainly possible that Dobbs was acquired simply to provide insurance for the position. McCoy is loaded with experience, but it appears that a string of recent injuries may have taken a toll on his ability to perform on the field. Tune backers can only hope that Dobbs was brought in to replace McCoy, and to hold a clipboard while the strong-armed rookie leads the Cards offense .