Cardinals release projected starting QB; Kyler Murray to begin season on PUP list
Despite being penciled in as the Cardinals Week 1 starter for most of the offseason, Colt McCoy is done in Arizona.
On Monday, the Cardinals released the veteran QB, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The decision to part with McCoy had been a rumored possibility since the team acquired quarterback Josh Dobbs in a trade with the Cleveland Browns last week.
McCoy, 36, has served the past two seasons as the No. 2 quarterback to Kyler Murray in Arizona. While he does have 56 career starts under his belt, the former University of Texas star has spent the majority of his 12-year NFL career as a backup. In four appearances in 2022, McCoy completed 68.2% of his passes for one touchdown and three interceptions.
Multiple reports claim the Cardinals will keep Murray on the reserve/PUP list to begin the season, meaning the former Heisman Trophy winner will miss at least the first four games of 2023.
As Murray continues to work his way back from a torn ACL and meniscus, the release of McCoy brings even more questions to an unsettled quarterback position in Arizona.
Dobbs or rookie fifth-round pick QB Clayton Tune now become the favorite to start opening day vs. the Washington Commanders.
Dobbs, a former fourth-round pick out of Tennessee, has been the epitome of an NFL journeyman since entering the league in 2017, spending time with six teams — including multiple stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Browns. Dobbs went 0-2 as a starter for the Titans last season, throwing for 411 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Tune, 24, is the University of Houston's third all-time leading passer, behind only Texans quarterback Case Keenum and former Cardinal Kevin Kolb. Tune led all Cardinals quarterbacks in pass attempts (59), completions (34) and yards (353) this preseason.
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