Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is still recovering from knee surgery after tearing his ACL on Dec. 12, 2022. As he now hangs around teammates and a new coaching staff at training camp, Murray is facing more questions about when he’ll return to the field.
The expectation remains that Murray won’t be on the field in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders. While he still has more than six weeks before the regular-season opener, Arizona wants to exercise caution with its franchise quarterback.
- Kyler Murray stats (career): 13,848 passing yards, 84-41 TD-INT, 66.8% completion rate, 92.5 quarterback rating, 2,204 rushing yards, 23 rushing touchdowns in 57 games
Related: Kyler Murray making strong impression on Arizona Cardinals coaching staff
However, the Cardinals haven’t provided any clarity on exactly when Murray returns to the field. Meeting with reporters this week, the face of Arizona’s franchise talked about his ongoing recovery.
“It’s a great question. I have no answer for you, though. I’m taking it one day at a time…Again, that’s the timetable stuff. I’m not like, ‘Oh, I need (a certain number of games).’ That’s not on my mind.”
Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray on when he’ll return to the field (H/T The Athletic)
Murray’s follow-up answer came after he was asked if a midseason return would be considered a victory. While it’s definitely on the table, the lack of certainty regarding exactly when the two-time Pro Bowl selection is back under center raises more questions.
- Kyler Murray contract: $16.007M cap hit (’23), five-year and $230.5 million contract
Related: NFL GM believes Bryce Young will be better than Kyler Murray
In Murray’s absence, Colt McCoy is expected to be the Cardinals’ starting quarterback. Arizona is also expected to give Clayton Tune a heavy percentage of snaps during the preseason, seeing what he has to offer and if he could start games in 2023.
While there remains no timetable for Murray’s return, the Cardinals aren’t under any pressure to bring him back. With two first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft and a commitment to rebuilding, Arizona won’t let Murray back on the field until the medical staff and coaches are extremely confident he’s ready and won’t have a setback.
