Kyler Murray will start only if he can play at 'high level' from pocket

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has been considered "day-to-day" due to the ankle injury he first suffered back on Oct. 28 and missed multiple practices this week. It was said earlier on Friday that both Murray and All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will be game-time decisions for Sunday's matchup at the San Francisco 49ers, and head coach Kliff Kingsbury offered more information on what he'd have to see from his QB1 to start him against a live defense this weekend. 

"We're not going to put them out there unless he can function," Kingsbury explained, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. "He wants to play so we'll see." 

Kingsbury added he has to know Murray is capable of playing at a "high level" from the pocket even if he isn't 100% healthy by Sunday afternoon. 

Per ESPN stats, Murray is fourth in the NFL among eligible quarterbacks with a 110.4 passer rating and 2,276 passing yards, fifth with a total QBR of 63.0, and tied for fifth with 17 touchdown throws. Weinfuss noted Murray leads the league by completing 77.4% of his passes in the pocket and "also has the league's lowest off-target percentage from the pocket, along with the highest adjusted completion percentage, lowest contact and lowest contact percentage from the pocket." 

If Kingsbury and/or team doctors rule Murray out, veteran journeyman Colt McCoy will get the nod in San Francisco.