Cardinals' Biggest Question Revolves Around Kyler Murray

After the 2025 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals have already begun to address some of the biggest issues and most glaring questions surrounding their roster. GM Monti Ossenfort spent big, bolstering Arizona's struggling defense with both proven veterans and young rookies.

But the Cardinals may only go as far as their signal-caller takes them. CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin listed the biggest question for each NFL team. And for Arizona, that question is simple: can Kyler Murray take the next step?

"Is Kyler Murray capable of a big leap?" Benjamin writes. "The defense looks much improved after they prioritized both experience (Josh Sweat) and upside (Walter Nolen) in the front seven. Still, Jonathan Gannon's squad isn't going anywhere if its veteran quarterback, who's already entering Year 7 in the desert, doesn't make strides as a consistent passer."

The key word in Benjamin's paragraph is the penultimate: consistent. Murray, though undeniably talented and proven to be capable of playing at an MVP-caliber level, has never been accused of being a consistent NFL quarterback.

While the arm talent, athleticism and intellect is all there, as is his work ethic, those factors have not all added up to success late in the season. Granted, there is usually a plethora of other issues present as the Cardinals march down the stretch — injuries, tough opponents and the like.

But Murray, who was solid enough despite a lack of volume production in 2024, began to falter in some of Arizona's most crucial matchups, playing poorly against the Seahawks, Vikings and Panthers when those games could have earned the Cardinals a playoff berth.

Murray threw for 3,851 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024, but also threw 11 interceptions. He ran for a 572 yards (the second-highest season total of his career) and five more scores on the ground. It was also the first time Murray didn't miss a game due to injury since his sophomore season in 2020.

If Murray is both healthy and ready to take the next step, all he'll need to do is deliver consistently. The flashy numbers can and will be absorbed in other ways. Arizona simply needs a steady presence at QB, and if Murray can execute that, the Cardinals are in for a major 2025.