It’s been almost a year since Kyler Murray was last seen on the football field. His last pass was on Dec. 12, 2022 — a nine-yard completion before injuring his knee and then being carted off.
Since that time, Joshua Dobbs went from handling the Arizona Cardinals‘ starting quarterback reins to being traded to the Minnesota Vikings on Halloween. With Dobbs no longer in the “Red Sea,” does this officially mean Murray is finally cleared to go in Week 9?
Kyler Murray’s Status in Week 9
As of Friday, Murray is still listed as questionable ahead of the Cards’ road contest against the Cleveland Browns.
Then, per NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on Saturday, Murray won’t be activated by the 4 p.m. ET deadline ahead of the Week 9 contest.
Now official: #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray won’t be activated today by the 4 pm deadline, sources say. Clayton Tune starts, with Kyler Murray set for next week. https://t.co/tR0UO0hRYX
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 4, 2023
However, the QB the franchise drafted first overall in the 2019 NFL Draft has been a practice participant, indicating his road to recovery being right on schedule. And, per head coach Jonathan Gannon, Murray was among the group of passers who delivered a good week of practice.
That’s a positive sign for a team that’s been missing their two-time Pro Bowl dual-threat quarterback. Still, Gannon doesn’t want to be in a situation where he’s forcing Murray back out there after his ACL tear.
“We gotta make sure we’re doing the best thing for the team and the best thing for Kyler,” Gannon said to the Phoenix media. “He’ll have a big part in saying to me and to us, ‘Hey, I’m ready to go; I want to play football.’ And we’re still working toward that.”
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Even if Murray is activated off the PUP list, rookie Clayton Tune may still receive the start in Week 9. When will Gannon make that decision?
“Probably on the plane or in the morning,” Gannon said.
How Has the Cardinals Offense Fared Without Murray?
Arizona has played 12 games without Murray running the offense.
Since that time frame, the Cards have sorted through four different QBs — Colt McCoy, Trace McSorley, David Blough, and Dobbs. If Tune gets the nod, he becomes the fifth different starting QB for the Cardinals since Dec. 18, 2022.
The rotation of quarterbacks, unfortunately, has led to a disorganized offense. Here’s what has transpired post-Murray:
- In the last four games of the 2022 season, Arizona couldn’t score past 20 points in a single game.
- The offensive woes have carried over to 2023, as the Cardinals currently rank 22nd in points.
- Arizona is also ranked 29th in passing yards.
- Lastly, Murray is the last Cardinals QB to throw for more than 300 yards in a game (326 on Oct. 30, 2022, vs. the Minnesota Vikings). This Cards offense hasn’t surpassed 257 yards in a game.
Murray has also watched Arizona start off at 1-7 in Gannon’s first season as head coach. The Cardinals, in general, are 1-11 without Murray in their last 12 games.
But, if Murray plays, he’ll face a Browns defense that surrendered 385 total yards a week ago to the Seattle Seahawks in a 24-20 loss. He’ll also have the opportunity to snap Arizona’s current five-game slide, as the Cards’ last win came in the 28-16 upset of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.
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