Cardinals Put Kyler Murray On PUP, Then Cut Colt McCoy In Odd Move That Begs The (Rhymes With Hank) Mode Question
Quarterback Kyler Murray is not ready to pass his physical much less play, so the Arizona Cardinals intend to keep him on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, a source confirmed Monday afternoon.
NFL Media was first to report the story.
That means Murray will miss the first four games of the season. At minimum.
He may miss more depending on the progress of his rehabilitation following surgery to repair the ACL in his right knee.
So the Cardinals, not exactly brimming with talent, are in trouble.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 27: Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals is introduced prior to a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at State Farm Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Who Starts In Place Of Kyler Murray?
Or are they?
The question immediately becomes who will start in Murray's absence. The answer is no one with significant experience, barring a trade or late signing.
That's because on Monday the club informed backup quarterback Colt McCoy he's being released. McCoy has started 36 NFL games, including 12 in Murray's absence the last two seasons.
After telling McCoy the news, the Cardinals shared it with everyone else.
The stunning thing is releasing McCoy only saves the Cardinals $1.5 million in salary cap space. They'll still carry approximately $3.5 million in dead cap for the privilege of not having him.
What Does Releasing McCoy Mean?
That leaves the Cardinals with backups Joshua Dobbs, David Blough and perhaps rookie Clayton Tune on the roster. Dobbs is the apparent candidate to open the season for the Cardinals at the Washington Commanders on Sept. 10.
Dobbs, 28 years old, has started two NFL games.
That came last year with the Titans. His team lost both.
Blough has started NFL games. Seven to be exact. And he's thrown 6 TDs and 9 interceptions in those games to help his teams go 0-7.
Coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters he would not announce his starter, ostensibly to protect the team's competitive advantage which does not exist.
Yeah, um, the Cardinals are going to be pretty bad this season. They're maybe the worst team in the league and nobody's played a down yet.
Remember this is a club that lost J.J. Watt to retirement, hired a new coach and general manager, released receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and is days from trading away starting offensive lineman Josh Jones, and former first-round pick Isaiah Simmons to the Giants.
(Oh, yeah, Simmons played for New York like five minutes after arriving and looked very good.)
So what gives?
The first time a M1 Abrams Battle Tank lands on Maine soil exits from a Air Force C-5 Galaxy aircraft at the Great State of Maine Airshow at BNAS. (Photo by John Patriquin/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
If Cardinals Mode Looks Like A Tank ...
It says right here the Cardinals could easily be confused for being in tank the season mode.
They will deny it. They might even be offended by it.
Maybe they prefer the word, "reset."
Whatever you call it, they knew -- knew! -- Murray probably wasn't going to be ready to begin the season only eight months after his reconstructive knee surgery. They knew this in the offseason. And they did not address that issue.
Trading a seventh-round pick for Dobbs four days ago, and drafting Tune in the fifth round is not addressing your starting quarterback problem.
So maybe the Cardinals go out and trade for a backup-type who can actually start for a while. Maybe Cooper Rush in Dallas. Maybe they sign a backup type with some experience as a starter, perhaps Carson Wentz.
But if this moving on while doing nothing else is the plan in Arizona, we can see what they're doing.
It rhymes with Hank.
Follow on Twitter: @ArmandoSalguero