Insider reveals if Cardinals plan to play QB Kyler Murray this season

Not everybody is convinced the Arizona Cardinals intend to keep quarterback Kyler Murray on the bench through early January amid an alleged tank of the 2023 NFL season. 

"They definitely plan to play Murray when he's ready," Dan Graziano of ESPN said about the Cardinals for a piece published Thursday. "Whether he's a real option for them in 2024 and beyond, or whether they have to get him on the field so other potentially interested teams can get a look at him, the Cardinals are not planning to sit Murray out the whole year." 

Murray signed a five-year contract extension reportedly worth $230.5M with $160M guaranteed in July 2022 but then tore his ACL on Dec. 12. He made it known this summer he wanted "to be back by Week 1," but he'll miss at least the first four games of the season while on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. 

Miles Schachner of the New York Post noted earlier this week how former NFL general manager and current analyst Michael Lombardi said during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he thought the Cardinals could sit Murray through Week 18 for reasons related to guaranteed money attached to the 26-year-old's extension. Lombardi offered those comments before the Cardinals officially named Murray a team captain. 

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing both referred to Murray this week as the club's "franchise quarterback," and Petzing added that the first pick of the 2019 NFL Draft is "a leader of this organization." Many nevertheless assume the Cardinals will punt on the upcoming campaign to "earn" the right to draft signal-caller Caleb Williams of the USC Trojans next spring, but it sounds like Murray will see some action before the team's regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks on Jan. 7 concludes. 

Arizona plays at the Washington Commanders for a Week 1 clash this Sunday, and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport (h/t Kevin Patra) reported Wednesday the Cardinals will start journeyman Joshua Dobbs over unproven fifth-round draft pick Clayton Tune at quarterback for that contest. As of Thursday afternoon, OddsChecker listed the Cardinals as significant underdogs (+275, +7) heading into the game held at FedExField.