Kyler Murray finally returned for the Arizona Cardinals, making his season debut Sunday in a win over the Atlanta Falcons. The former No. 1 overall pick hadn’t stepped foot on an NFL field in nearly a year after tearing his ACL last season. Even though Murray played well in his return, it’s hard to ignore rumors about the Cardinals are potentially looking to go in a different direction at quarterback. It would therefore seem that Murray plays to keep his place in Arizona for the rest of this year.
For someone who hadn’t played in almost a year, Murray looked good and even ran the ball well, especially on this play where he made something out of nothing to keep the Cards alive. He passed for 249 yards, completed just under 60 percent and had 33 yards rushing. It wasn’t a perfect game by any means, but it was good enough for Arizona’s second victory.
It probably sounds crazy, but there has been a lot of talk over the past 12 months about the possibility of the Cardinals considering the draft again to replace Murray. This discussion took place despite the franchise giving Murray a massive five-year extension with $160 million in guaranteed money less than 18 months ago.
All the drama that led to this extension seems to have been forgotten. The stipulation that was slipped into his agreement regarding the completion of a a certain number of hours each week of “homework” (film study), and then the negative reaction that followed once this information was leaked. Murray’s maturity level was also called into question after he deleted all mention of the team on his social media platforms.
Fans may have forgotten these things or simply moved on, but the organization probably hasn’t.
Once that happens, it will always be on their mind, regardless of the results on the field. What’s going to happen the next time something doesn’t go as planned is what the front office thinks. They won’t express it publicly, but it’s there. It’s like when one spouse cheats but is taken back by the other. You move past it, but it’s still there in your mind. What if we go through hard times again. . . so what ?
Murray is still young (26 years old) and probably has many years ahead of him. But something would cause the Cardinals to think about a change. When he last played before the injury, his record was 3-8. Obviously, none of this is up to him, but it might be enough, coupled with questions about maturity, to make Arizona look elsewhere. How the offense performs over time will play a key factor in the former Rookie of the Year’s future as a Cardinal.
Playing well and being able to win regularly are not always exclusive offers. Surrounding a young QB with talent always helps, but there’s something to be said for handling that responsibility in a special way. With eight losses already this season, the Cardinals are tied for the second-worst record in the league.
There is still a lot of time left to reach this first place and put yourself in a position to draft Caleb Williams from USC. Let him do it I want to play, there is another problem. But if the opportunity arises, one has to wonder whether Arizona will rush to take Williams or stand by Murray. The next seven games could decide for them.