The Arizona Cardinals may or may not start the season with Kyler Murray at quarterback, so the role will fall to either Colt McCoy or Clayton Tune unless David Blough or Jeff Driskel more than impress us in camp this season. If Murray isn’t ready for Week 1, then when he’s cleared to return will depend on the status of his recently-repaired ACL, and we have no idea of what the Cardinals will look like when he’s finally ready to play again.
The Kyler Murray Saga is just one of a few mysteries surrounding the Cardinals quarterbacks this season. Let’s explore three avenues regarding it that will affect the entire quarterbacks unit this season.
3 most important questions for the Arizona Cardinals at quarterback
1 - When will we see Kyler Murray on the field again?
If Kyler Murray had it his way, he would be back for the Week 1 matchup against the Washington Commanders. But the reality is, we don’t know when Murray’s knee will return to 100%, and beyond that, when he will be in football shape.
In a perfect world, Murray will be on the field in Week 1. But in reality, we may not see him suit up for the Redbirds in at least the first four games if he ends up on the PUP list.
2 - Who will start at quarterback in Murray’s absence?
As mentioned earlier, we are looking at Colt McCoy as the likeliest candidate, but Clayton Tune is the most intriguing thanks to his rookie status. Tune also has dual threat ability, much like Murray, so he could be more adept at running the offense Drew Petzing wants to bring in.
Of course, if the team is fully committed to Murray, then starting Tune would be a risk. If the rookie starts in Week 1 and enjoys a handful of good games, even if the Cardinals aren’t winning much, then what do you do? That’s a bridge the Cardinals coaching staff and management may not want to cross.
3 - What will the Cardinals offense look like when Murray returns?
If Colt McCoy starts and holds things down until Kyler Murray returns, then the latter will add a new dimension to the offense thanks to his mobility. However, because of his recent ACL tear, don’t expect Murray to be the same scrambler he was, but he could instead thrive on rollouts and play-action to open things up.
If Tune gets the nod, then the Cardinals offense may not look much different with Murray under center. The only real contrast here is that you would see the more experienced Murray throwing the ball more often than Tune, who would likely take on a game manager role.