Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon shares huge Kyler Murray update

Jonathan Gannon is about to finish his first season as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and was asked during a Tuesday appearance on Arizona Sports' "Burns and Gambo" program if he had any doubts about Kyler Murray being his starting quarterback when the 2024 campaign opens this coming September. 

"There is no doubt," Gannon insisted, as shared by Darren Urban of the Cardinals' website. "'Number 1' is our franchise quarterback."

Gannon has repeatedly praised Murray since accepting the Arizona job in February 2023, but the 4-12 Cardinals have been linked to top QB prospects such as Caleb Williams of the USC Trojans and North Carolina Tar Heels signal-caller Drake Maye. While Tankathon shows that Arizona will head into Sunday's regular-season finale versus the 8-8 Seattle Seahawks holding the fourth overall pick in the draft, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk mentioned that the Cardinals could end up having the second overall choice by Monday morning. 

For what it's worth, multiple CBS Sports analysts and Walter Cherepinsky of Walter Football are among knowledgeable individuals who predicted in their latest mock drafts that the Cardinals won't spend their first pick on a quarterback this spring. 

Murray signed a five-year contract extension in the summer of 2022 worth $230.5 million with $160M guaranteed but then went down with an injury in December of that year that left him needing ACL surgery and also some meniscus repair. The 26-year-old returned to the lineup this past November and has gone 3-4 as the club's starter under Gannon. Murray has completed 64.7% of 238 total passes for 1,537 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions to go along with 211 rushing yards and three scores on 39 carries. 

Murray's contract makes it difficult for the Cardinals to move on from him before next season, but it seems Gannon is all-in on giving the signal-caller more than half a campaign to impress for reasons not related to money.