After a lengthy recovery from a late-season ACL tear, Cardinals star Kyler Murray appears on the verge of making his long-awaited return to the lineup for Week 10.
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon announced Monday that Murray, who was listed as questionable for Week 9, will get the start for Sunday’s game against the Falcons as long as he’s ready to play.
Gannon noted the club’s plan for the 26-year-old quarterback will be to officially elevate him to the 53-man roster on Wednesday before practice. From there, Murray will resume working with the starters full-time since being activated off the PUP list on Oct. 18 as he ramps up for his first start since Week 14 of the 2022 season.
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said if Kyler Murray is ready to go this week he’ll start Sunday against the Falcons.
Murray will take the first-team reps this week, Gannon said. pic.twitter.com/ZHr0ubZgjj
— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) November 6, 2023
Gannon’s update regarding Murray’s continued progress signals an encouraging sign for both the fifth-year pro and the Cardinals after a tumultuous 1–8 start to the year.
The absence of the 2019 No. 1 overall pick from the lineup forced Arizona to rely on a QB carousel through the first two months, with veteran Josh Dobbs starting eight games before getting traded to the Vikings on Oct. 31. In Week 9, the club handed the keys to rookie Clayton Tune after deciding Murray needed additional time, leading to disastrous results and a 27–0 shutout loss to the Browns.
With Murray nearing full clearance, a crucial evaluation concerning his future with the Cardinals can now finally begin, starting with a potentially tough road matchup with Atlanta (4–5).