Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals may not turn to a rookie quarterback in 2024 after all.

ESPN's Dan Graziano suggested the NFC West team may keep Kyler Murray in place for longer than just next season so head coach Jonathan Gannon and the rest of the staff can evaluate him and make a long-term decision.

"To the Murray point, I definitely do not believe the Cardinals have ruled out the possibility he's their quarterback in 2024 and beyond," Graziano wrote. "The coaching staff and front office haven't seen him play since they took over the team, and they want to see him in their system ideally for the rest of the season before deciding what to do."

Outside of a new coaching staff getting the opportunity to evaluate Murray, there is also the financial element to any quarterback decision.

He is under contract through 2028 with a potential out after the 2027 season. Graziano noted it would cost the Cardinals $48 million in dead money if they made him a post-June 1 release and $46 million if they traded him.

Still, the opportunity to select a potential franchise quarterback with the No. 1 pick may be too enticing to pass up.

Arizona is currently in line to land the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft thanks to its 1-8 record, which would presumably mean choosing between players such as USC quarterback Caleb Williams, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and others.

While Williams has been projected as the top pick in many corners, B/R's NFL Scouting Department had the Cardinals taking Harrison with the No. 1 selection in its recent mock draft.

Murray hasn't played this season as he recovers from a torn ACL, but he was the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year and a back-to-back Pro Bowler in 2020 and 2021.

If the 26-year-old returns to the lineup and still looks like the same player that he was before his injury, the Cardinals may decide to continue building around him with weapons such as Harrison and let Williams and Maye fall elsewhere in the draft.

Amid his stint on injured reserve, the Arizona Cardinals announced Wednesday that they opened the 21-day practice window for running back James Conner.

The Cards placed Conner on IR on Oct. 10 with a knee injury, and he has since missed Arizona's past four games.

Conner is eligible to return against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, and the team announced that there is "a chance" Conner will be activated from IR and inserted into the lineup in Week 10.

A two-time Pro Bowler during his seven-year NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cardinals, Conner was off to a strong start this season before getting injured.

In five games, Conner recorded 364 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 68 carries to go along with eight receptions for 30 yards as the Cards' unquestioned No. 1 running back.

Conner is just two years removed from one of his best seasons, as he racked up 1,127 yards and a career-high 18 touchdowns en route to a Pro Bowl selection in 2021, and he followed it up with 1,082 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

Arizona has struggled as a team this season, going a league-worst 1-8, but things are looking up ahead of Week 10.

Quarterback Kyler Murray is in line to make his first of the season against Atlanta after a torn ACL cost him the latter part of last season and the first nine games of this season.

Conner could also make his return, although Arizona has three weeks before it has to activate him.

The Arizona running game would benefit greatly from Conner's return since head coach Jonathan Gannon's team has struggled to run the ball with any consistency during Conner's absence.

Aside from Conner, Emari Demercado is the Cardinals' leading rusher with 195 yards and one touchdown on 49 carries, while Keaontay Ingram has rushed 33 times for 72 yards and no scores.

The Arizona Cardinals delivered the update they had been waiting for all year, announcing on Tuesday that star quarterback Kyler Murray has been activated off injured reserve and is expected to make his season debut on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Murray has been out for the first nine games while recovering from his torn ACL, and the Cardinals have gone 1-8 without him this season.

Murray hasn't played since Week 14 of the 2022 season when he suffered the injury in a Monday Night Football matchup against the New England Patriots three plays into the game. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said on Monday that Murray will be taking the first-team reps in practice this week as he continues to "ramp up."

"Pleased where he is at right now," Gannon said. "We'll see how the week goes."

Without Murray in the lineup, the Cardinals were forced to rely on veteran backup Joshua Dobbs for the first eight games before trading him to the Minnesota Vikings. Arizona turned to rookie Clayton Tune in Week 9 against the Cleveland Browns, and he threw for 58 yards and two interceptions in a 27-0 loss.

Murray should provide a major upgrade for the Cardinals, but Gannon noted that he might not be the same player he was before the injury.

"We got to be willing to understand that it might not look like Kyler," Gannon said. "And I think he's got a good expectation of that. The coaches have a good expectation of that, but I know this: He's going to come out there and play his game and help us win."

The Cardinals will be looking to end a six-game losing streak when they meet the Falcons.

The Arizona Cardinals are preparing to welcome quarterback Kyler Murray back into the lineup this week and may be doing the same soon with running back James Conner.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Cardinals are "hoping" to open James Conner's 21-day practice window this week as he prepares to return from a knee injury. Conner has missed Arizona's last four games.

The veteran back had been a bright spot in an otherwise miserable Cardinals season, rushing for 364 yards and two touchdowns across his first five games. Arizona has struggled to find consistent production out of the backfield since Conner went down, with undrafted rookie Emari Demercado handling most of the snaps.

At 1-8, this is already a lost season for the Cardinals and some have viewed them as a tanking candidate since the preseason. Arizona and the Carolina Panthers are the only two teams remaining with just one win.

However, it appears first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon wants to build some positive momentum in the second half. Murray has been ramping up his activity the last three weeks and is set to return Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, barring any setbacks. The Cardinals' franchise quarterback suffered a torn ACL last December, and Sunday will mark a little over 11 months since the injury.

"If he's out on the field, we feel good about him being healthy enough to play," Gannon told reporters of Murray. "Every team in the NFL's banged up and we'll put our best foot forward and get the right pieces in there and give ourselves a chance to win a game."

Murray's return to the lineup may amount to an audition for his starting job. If the Cardinals finish with the NFL's worst record, there is a decent chance Murray will be traded in favor of Caleb Williams, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick.

Conner is under contract for a manageable $3.7 million in 2024. It's likely Arizona will use the draft to find competition for the veteran, but Conner's salary is worth keeping him around even if he's part of a committee next season.

Kyler Murray's return to action may finally be imminent after Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon announced that the star signal-caller will get the start against the Atlanta Falcons if practice goes well during the week.

Murray is expected to take the first-team snaps during practice following Clayton Tune's start Sunday against the Cleveland Browns that resulted in the team's sixth consecutive loss.

The 2019 No. 1 overall pick hasn't played since tearing his ACL last season in a Week 14 game against the New England Patriots. He was designated to return from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Oct. 18.

As a result of being designated to return to action, Murray's 21-day practice window opened up, meaning the organization had that time frame to activate him from the PUP list or risk ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

That 21-day window expires this week, making it all the more likely that Murray will be activated and play against the Falcons. Murray returned to the practice field for the first time two weeks ago.

Despite being without Murray, the Cardinals got some decent quarterback play from Josh Dobbs in his absence but wound up trading the latter to the Minnesota Vikings ahead of the NFL trade deadline on Oct. 31.

Dobbs threw for 1,569 yards to go along with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. He also had 258 yards and three more scores on the ground.

The last time the football world saw Murray on the gridiron, he was in the midst of subpar season with a mediocre Cardinals' squad. He went 3-8 prior to the ACL injury, throwing for 2,368 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

He'll be rejoining a squad that's once again in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray's return to the field will have to wait at least one more week.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, rookie Clayton Tune is going to start Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns.

Even though this decision had been expected, there was some hope that Murray might be able to play in Week 9. He went through a full practice on Wednesday and is officially listed as questionable by the team.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters after Wednesday's practice that Murray is "fired up" and "ready to go," but they were going to be cautious with him returning from a knee injury.

Murray is working his way back from a torn ACL suffered on a non-contact play against the New England Patriots on Dec. 12, 2022. Josh Dobbs served as the starting quarterback in Murray's place this season before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday.

The Cardinals placed Murray on the physically unable to perform list before the season, but he returned to practice on Oct. 18.

That in turn began a 21-day window in which the Cardinals could activate Murray and put him on the 53-man roster. If not, then Murray would miss the entire season.

All indications are that Murray will be good to go before the end of that window, however.

In the week leading up to the Cardinals' Oct. 29 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, Murray logged a full Wednesday practice. He was even removed from the injury report leading up to the game.

Murray was listed as doubtful for the game, but that wasn't a sign of any doubt on his progress. The Athletic's Dianna Russini explained why.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport previously reported the "most likely outcome" is Murray will make his season debut at home in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons.

Murray has played all four of his seasons with the Cardinals, who selected the Heisman Trophy winner with the No. 1 overall choice in the 2019 NFL draft.

Last season, the two-time Pro Bowler completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 2,368 yards (6.1 YPA) for 14 touchdowns (seven interceptions). He also rushed for 418 more yards and three scores.

The Cardinals are off to a rough start at 1-7, and chances are this year won't end with a surprise playoff berth. But watching Murray back healthy and playing will certainly be a welcome sight if it happens as the team hopes for a strong second half.

Tune was a fifth-round draft pick out of the University of Houston. He made his NFL debut in the fourth quarter of Arizona's 20-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7.

In five college seasons, Tune threw for 11,994 yards, 104 touchdowns and completed 63.9 percent of his attempts.

Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill reportedly reduced then-general manager Steve Keim to tears in 2018 after he was cited for driving under the influence.

According to ESPN's Tisha Thompson and Josh Weinfuss, multiple sources who worked for the Cardinals organization at the time said Bidwill publicly humiliated Keim by calling an all-staff meeting following his DUI, and berating him.

One person with knowledge of the meeting said: "He asked him about wearing an orange jumpsuit and all the dehumanizing parts about going to jail. I perceived his intention to be, he really wanted to embarrass him to send a message."

Another person who attended the meeting added: "He just got up there and gave him a verbal ass-whipping in front of all of us."

Keim, who stepped down from his GM role in January to focus on his health, was fined $200,000 and suspended five weeks for the DUI.

One year later, Bidwill allegedly did something similar when then-COO Ron Minegar was arrested for DUI as well.

Minegar admitted that he erred by drinking and driving, but felt that Bidwill went overboard, saying: "I did something really stupid, and my face was beet red because I was an a--hole. I got in a car and drove intoxicated. That part of it was justifiable. But it did go over the top."

Although it can be argued Bidwill's reactions were justified given the illegality of what Keim and Minegar did, several other former team employees speaking on the condition of anonymity have alleged that Bidwill created a toxic work environment fueled by his outbursts striking fear into employees.

In April, former Cardinals vice president of player personnel Terry McDonough filed an arbitration complaint in which he accused Bidwill of "gross misconduct, including discrimination and harassment."

Bidwill allegedly installed sexist policies meant to prevent female employees from interacting with male employees, including players and coaches.

Some former female employees told Thompson and Weinfuss they were discouraged from using a certain stairwell at the team facility and from going to the cafeteria or even using the restroom closest to their desks in order to avoid walking on the football side of the building.

Also, while male employees were given access to the facility's gym when players weren't using it, women allegedly were not afforded the same opportunity.

McDonough's complaint also alleged that Bidwill "cursed at and berated a young African American employee in a racially charged manner" over a parking spot.

Minegar and former Cardinals human resources chief Lisa Lutich, both of whom are white, expressed their belief that Bidwill is not racist, plus the Cardinals organization has denied most of the allegations levied against Bidwill.

Bidwill, 58, was named team president by his late father, Bill Bidwill, in 2007, and he became principal owner of the franchise upon Bill Bidwill's death in 2019.

The Josh Dobbs era has come to an end in the desert.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Clayton Tune is expected to start against the Cleveland Browns in Week 9, though there's a chance Kyler Murray could also play.

This comes after Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters Monday that it would be Tune or Murray would start over Dobbs against the Browns, via Bo Brack of PHNX Sports.

Murray has an outside shot to return as the two-time Pro Bowl signal-caller is working his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in 2022. However, per Rapoport, it's more likely that Murray will make his season debut in Week 10.

Arizona has lost five consecutive games, including a 31-24 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Dobbs struggled against Baltimore's secondary, throwing for just 208 yards and two touchdowns to go along with two interceptions.

This included a third-quarter pass that was picked off by safety Geno Stone, setting the Ravens up just outside the Cardinals' red zone. Baltimore scored a touchdown to increase its lead to 21-7, then cruised to a win that wasn't as close as the final score indicates.

The 28-year-old has thrown five interceptions in his past four appearances.

Following the Ravens loss, Gannon initially told reporters that Dobbs would start against Cleveland (per ESPN's Adam Schefter).

Evidently, he's changed his mind. Barring an unexpected return from Murray. the Cardinals' new starter is Tune, a rookie who was a fifth-round pick.

Tune spent his college days at Houston, completing 67.3 percent of his passes for 4,074 yards and 40 touchdowns in 2022. Each one of those marks were the highest among all American Athletic Conference quarterbacks.

In the preseason, Tune recorded 353 passing yards while throwing one touchdown and one interception.

He'll be in for a challenge during Week 9's contest, as the Browns are allowing just 163.3 passing yards per game this season. That's the best mark in the NFL.

The Arizona Cardinals are 1-7 after Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but Kyler Murray is not going anywhere ahead of Tuesday's deadline.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported the Cardinals are not planning to shop their franchise quarterback and are planning on him playing this season. Murray was a full participant in practice last week but was still held out of Sunday's game against the Ravens as he recovers from a torn ACL.

Despite Murray receiving a clean bill of health, Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters that Joshua Dobbs will start in Week 9 against the Cleveland Browns. Dobbs has started Arizona's first eight games this season while Murray has been on the physically unable to perform list.

The Browns have been one of the NFL's stingiest defenses and boast arguably the league's best pass rusher in Myles Garrett, so keeping Murray on the sidelines for one more week makes some sense.

That said, there is likely some urgency for Gannon to start righting the ship during his first year as an NFL head coach. It was always expected that the 2023 season would be a lean one in Arizona, but the Cardinals' five-game losing streak has now given them the worst record in the NFL.

That could open up the possibility of the team throwing in the towel entirely and hoping to land presumptive No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. A tanking plan would ultimately end Murray's time in Arizona during the offseason, but it's likely opposing teams will want to see him out on the field and healthy before making a trade.

Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension with the Cardinals before the 2022 season, and the deal has not even fully kicked in. Trading Murray would get the team out of that contract relatively unscathed, but rival teams may be hesitant to take on its guarantees unless Murray proves he can still perform at a high level.

Following Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon announced that quarterback Josh Dobbs will once again get the start against the Cleveland Browns next week, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Dobbs, 28, has been filling in for Kyler Murray since the beginning of the season as the latter recovers from a torn ACL that he suffered back in 2022. Gannon admitted he's never considered turning to back up Clayton Tune to replace Dobbs amid the team's 1-7 start.

Gannon said that Murray is still "day-to-day" as he continues his recovery.

This comes after Murray was a full participant in practice Wednesday and carried that designation the rest of the week. However, he was subsequently listed as "doubtful" prior to the game, with Dobb ultimately getting the start.

So, Cardinals fans will have to wait at least another week to see their Pro Bowl signal-caller in action.

While the record may not indicate it, Dobbs has been decent in his relief stint, throwing for 1,361 yards to go along with six touchdowns and three interceptions. He's also rushed for two scores.

In Sunday's loss, the former University of Tennessee star finished with 208 passing yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and another touchdown in the running game.