Kyler Murray could be eyeing a early return to the Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals would climb back in the playoff conversation if quarterback Kyler Murray can return in time for the season-opener.

Heading into free agency, many fans of the Arizona Cardinals believed that the front office would try to find a better fill-in for injured signal-caller Kyler Murray. After all, Colt McCoy and David Blough are less than impressive options for that monumental task. Do the Cards know something about the situation with Murray that has not yet been revealed?

Suddenly, there's a glimmer of hope for Cards fans everywhere. If Murray can be back by say, Week 1, a return to the playoffs for the Redbirds may not be as far-fetched as one would think.

Arizona general manager Monti Ossenfort and his cohorts may have known all along that a quick return was a possibility for Murray. The first-overall pick of the 2019 draft is a freakishly-gifted athlete who could very well be a fast healer. The fact that Murray is just 25 years of age could also play a role in him getting back with his Cardinals teammates a whole lot quicker.

Arizona Cardinals seem to be passing on an opportunity to add a stand-in quarterback during free agency

Several free-agent passers hit the market when the signing period got underway a few weeks ago. Marcus Mariota, a veteran who signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, would've been an upgrade over both McCoy and Blough. Others like Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Baker Mayfield and Gardner Minshew would've also been more viable alternatives.

The Cardinals scoring attack has the tools to be a very explosive unit when Murray is back in the lineup. Assuming wideout DeAndre Hopkins will be traded, the squad will still have Marquise Brown, Zach Ertz, Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch, and Trey McBride as pass-catching components. James Conner is a powerful running back who has been voted to two Pro Bowls during his six-year NFL career.

Things will be much more interesting in the desert when Murray returns to full health. New head coach Jonathan Gannon's job will also be a whole lot easier when the face of the franchise is back in the saddle. Based on the most recent news, Murray's return to the Cards should occur sooner rather than later.