10 thoughts - Murray's comeback

[Gandhi]

1 – I cannot remember I have been this interested in watching the Cards since they drafted Murray – or maybe even back to the BA-days.

2 – Keep in mind that he has never (in the NFL) had other coaching staff than Kingsbury and co. They could potentially have been a problem in his development, which would lead to thinking that this coaching staff might bring out something better in him.

3 – If he hits his top level, he can be a top 5-7 quarterback in the NFL.

4 – As fans we cannot lose. If he is bad, then the Cards get a high draft pick and can look to the future. If he is good, then great, the future is bright.

5 – Not to psychoanalyze too much, but Murray just seems more mature than before.

6 – The Cardinals are a really strong running offense. Should suit Murray’s strength.

7 – There is not a lot of high-quality skill players on the offense. It might be misleading to evaluate his future potential based on his performance now in a situation that is below NFL standards. But that’s his problem, and not really anyone else.

8 – My mindset in the offseason depends on the season from here on out.

9 – The O-line certainly has some issues, but it is also not at all horrible. That unit makes it fair to raise your expectations for his comeback.

10 – I am targeting the Falcons at home. Starting him @Browns, against that vaunted defense, seems contradictory to Ossenfort’s and Gannon’s “we don’t want to risk anything with him”-approach.

 

[Solar7]

I agree with starting him after the Browns, but I can't share your optimism about this season or bringing him back.

Unfortunately I see a very real situation where he plays just well enough to trash our draft position but not well enough to be confident with him as our future starter.

 

[BirdGangThing]

i don't see why everyone's so afraid of the browns - football is football - im not concerned about who we're playing more concerned about our O-line - as far as kyler's concerned start him as soon as he's healthy enough to play - that simple

 

[juza76]

i don't see why everyone's so afraid of the browns - football is football - im not concerned about who we're playing more concerned about our O-line - as far as kyler's concerned start him as soon as he's healthy enough to play - that simple

Yes, if u are afraid tò get hurt then u can get hurt against every team u face
Three are many unprediictable factors in a NFL game, if he Is ready to play he must play without chosing the best opponent for his return on thè field

 

[Totally_Red]

I agree with starting him in the Atlanta game. Rapsheet and Garafolo on NFLN today were saying the Cardinals were thinking it would take the full 21 days for Kyler to be ready. It is like his training camp especially with learning a brand new offense for the first time ever.

More than anything else the rest of this season is getting ready for 2024. The reps Kyler gets this season should be a positive for the future unless he stinks.

 

[Harry]

I said sometime back that I heard he would play some in the Browns game, then be the starter. As to #4, if he plays poorly he won’t return a high draft pick considering his salary.

 

[Gandhi]

Unfortunately I see a very real situation where he plays just well enough to trash our draft position but not well enough to be confident with him as our future starter.

I understand your view completely, Solar, but I guess my point is that I don’t see how he can do both. I mean, if he plays just average, the record will still end up being enough for a top 10 pick, simply because it already is so bad. So if he does in fact trash the draft position, then he must play well.

Having said that, I don’t think his job is in danger unless the Cards have the #1 pick. That was actually my thought 11 or 12, and thus it just missed the cut. It has as much to do with my view on Drake Maye as on Murray, but I just don’t see them starting over with anyone else than potentially Caleb Williams.

 

[Gandhi]

i don't see why everyone's so afraid of the browns - football is football - im not concerned about who we're playing more concerned about our O-line - as far as kyler's concerned start him as soon as he's healthy enough to play - that simple

I am not afraid of them, BGT, but I wrote what I think they (the coaching staff) will do, and not what I would do.

 

[Gandhi]

I said sometime back that I heard he would play some in the Browns game, then be the starter. As to #4, if he plays poorly he won’t return a high draft pick considering his salary.

I doubt that his salary has much to do with it, Harry.

 

[BirdGangThing]

I am not afraid of them, BGT, but I wrote what I think they (the coaching staff) will do, and not what I would do.

Right? Because he's going to get hit regardless - and he's gonna use his legs to avoid getting hit - if he just needs more practice I get it but who the opponent is shouldn't be a deciding factor

 

[K1Day1]

I agree with starting him after the Browns, but I can't share your optimism about this season or bringing him back.

Unfortunately I see a very real situation where he plays just well enough to trash our draft position but not well enough to be confident with him as our future starter.

TBH.. I see something more in line with this organizations past experiences. And that is;
Kyler Murray comes back and plays just well enough to increase his trade value. The Cardinals trade him and manage to draft Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.
Murray goes on to play good for another organization and the Cardinals realize their new quarterback was great against college kids, but not so much against grown a** men. IMO thats more in line with this organizations past.

 

[oaken1]

TBH.. I see something more in line with this organizations past experiences. And that is;
Kyler Murray comes back and plays just well enough to increase his trade value. The Cardinals trade him and manage to draft Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.
Murray goes on to play good for another organization and the Cardinals realize their new quarterback was great against college kids, but not so much against grown a** men. IMO thats more in line with this organizations past.

Truer words.....

This is the way.

 

[BritCard]

Falcons game makes too much sense. Home game, should draw a crowd and Conner should be back. Falcons have a top 10 D. Still a tough game.

Major concern is new COD is out that weekend....

I'm joking!

 

[daves]

I said sometime back that I heard he would play some in the Browns game, then be the starter. As to #4, if he plays poorly he won’t return a high draft pick considering his salary.

Pretty sure @Gandhi meant that if Murray plays poorly, the Cardinals will have a high enough pick to take a QB with their own pick. But I agree that with his contract, if he plays poorly enough that the Cardinals want to ditch him, no other team would be interested in trading for him... unless it's a deal akin to the Osweiler trade from Houston to Cleveland... and in no way would that be a "win" for the Cardinals.

 

[Mark22]

Pretty sure @Gandhi meant that if Murray plays poorly, the Cardinals will have a high enough pick to take a QB with their own pick. But I agree that with his contract, if he plays poorly enough that the Cardinals want to ditch him, no other team would be interested in trading for him... unless it's a deal akin to the Osweiler trade from Houston to Cleveland... and in no way would that be a "win" for the Cardinals.

What about the 81 million dead money hit? I don’t see the Cardinals eating that. What am I missing? It’s never talked about here.

 

[oaken1]

What about the 81 million dead money hit? I don’t see the Cardinals eating that. What am I missing? It’s never talked about here.

It has been talked about. There has been speculation that we didn't spend in FA because we have to take a big hit next year if kyler ain't the guy.
It's an option. Not the best option. But an option.

 

[GeorgiaCard88]

Anyone else concerned that Murray is "healthy" but not playing?

Is he not a veteran QB who has supposedly been at team meetings? He's had months to digest the playbook by now. I'm fine with suffering another game with Dobbs if that's needed - but I'm a little concerned that either Murray was mentally aloof during team meetings or must not be completely healthy/incredibly rusty. I just can't see other franchise QBs in the league willingly sit on the bench while their team is struggling

To the argument "it's a new system" - did we not trade for Dobbs less than a week before we threw him in as a starter? Love him or hate him- I think few people here believe that Dobbs is a better option to start here if Murray is truly 100% healthy.

 

[CardNots]

To the argument "it's a new system" - did we not trade for Dobbs less than a week before we threw him in as a starter? Love him or hate him- I think few people here believe that Dobbs is a better option to start here if Murray is truly 100% healthy.

solid argument

 

[PACardsFan]

For those that haven’t been paying attention, the Cardinals have moved COMPLETELY away from a RESULTS based operation & are now a PROCESS based operation. The process of Murray’s return was established months ago, and the Cardinals won’t veer from it. In a process operation, it really doesn’t matter if we’re 1-6 or 6-1. And even if Murray has healed quicker than expected, meaning he is now 100% healthy, the Cardinals won’t veer from their original plan. MOJG’s plan is a long term one, as opposed to SKKK’s plan. SK was very clear that they would NEVER rebuild. They were always building to win THAT year. That’s why we never had a roster that could provide sustainable success. There is zero doubt in my mind that if SKKK were still running the show, that Murray would have played in week 1. Bottom line, Murray will play when the process of his return has been thoroughly completed and not a day sooner. Fyi, I spent 35 years in Corporate Sales and I’m quite familiar with the Process approach. In the earliest stages, it is NOT for the faint of heart. But, I do hope that MB stays with it. It’s the ONLY way he’ll ever win a SB.

 

[football karma]

To the argument "it's a new system" - did we not trade for Dobbs less than a week before we threw him in as a starter?

there is a difference between having no choice to do something and having a choice

as coldhearted as the assessment was at the beginning of the season -- it didnt matter in the long term if Dobbs or Tune were thrown into action being less than 100% (75%? 60%?) ready.

It really matters in the long run that Kyler be as ready as possible -- knowing the offense means the ball comes out of his hands faster, protections are called correctly, etc --

I want to avoid unnecessary hits on Kyler this year while still playing him. There is an obvious tradeoff here -- but giving him as much practice time as possible prior to live action is a good path.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Anyone else concerned that Murray is "healthy" but not playing?

No.

Is he not a veteran QB who has supposedly been at team meetings? He's had months to digest the playbook by now. I'm fine with suffering another game with Dobbs if that's needed - but I'm a little concerned that either Murray was mentally aloof during team meetings or must not be completely healthy/incredibly rusty. I just can't see other franchise QBs in the league willingly sit on the bench while their team is struggling

It takes time for a player to get into football shape.

To the argument "it's a new system" - did we not trade for Dobbs less than a week before we threw him in as a starter? Love him or hate him- I think few people here believe that Dobbs is a better option to start here if Murray is truly 100% healthy.

And it wasn't ideal that Dobbs was thrown out there either, but that was largely out of necessity.

The best option is acclimatize Murray for a few weeks and then play him.

 

[Outerlimits]

i don't see why everyone's so afraid of the browns - football is football - im not concerned about who we're playing more concerned about our O-line - as far as kyler's concerned start him as soon as he's healthy enough to play - that simple.

Agreed. While Cleveland defense is pretty solid, Minshew and the Colts did get a ton of yards and 38 points against them.

Also the Falcons actually have a pretty solid defense so far this year and a big reason they are 4-3 currently.

 

[Gandhi]

Right? Because he's going to get hit regardless - and he's gonna use his legs to avoid getting hit - if he just needs more practice I get it but who the opponent is shouldn't be a deciding factor

I agree. I do think it is fair to argue that some defenses are better on paper, but you are right that at the end of the day, they all want to hit him, and they are all big and strong. No matter who they play, it will be difficult for him.

 

[Snakester]

He should at least play a quarter against Baltimore to get his feet wet then play a half or more against Cleveland then turn him loose the rest of the year.

 

[lobo]

For those that haven’t been paying attention, the Cardinals have moved COMPLETELY away from a RESULTS based operation & are now a PROCESS based operation. The process of Murray’s return was established months ago, and the Cardinals won’t veer from it. In a process operation, it really doesn’t matter if we’re 1-6 or 6-1. And even if Murray has healed quicker than expected, meaning he is now 100% healthy, the Cardinals won’t veer from their original plan. MOJG’s plan is a long term one, as opposed to SKKK’s plan. SK was very clear that they would NEVER rebuild. They were always building to win THAT year. That’s why we never had a roster that could provide sustainable success. There is zero doubt in my mind that if SKKK were still running the show, that Murray would have played in week 1. Bottom line, Murray will play when the process of his return has been thoroughly completed and not a day sooner. Fyi, I spent 35 years in Corporate Sales and I’m quite familiar with the Process approach. In the earliest stages, it is NOT for the faint of heart. But, I do hope that MB stays with it. It’s the ONLY way he’ll ever win a SB.

It's not for the faint of heart as you said very well. The only thing I would have liked to have seen was Tune playing a bit, but I guess they have the read on him and know if he is salvageable. Other than that I am impressed with the staff and the direction. The D Backs, Rangers and B'more lost over 100 games two years ago........