Robert Griffin III glad Cardinals' Kyler Murray is playing a certain way

Free-agent NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III is no stranger to serious knee injuries and likes that Arizona Cardinals signal-caller Kyler Murray is playing this season without wearing a brace after Murray underwent ACL surgery that included some meniscus repair in January. 

"Wearing the brace is a constant reminder that you did get hurt," Griffin told Josh Weinfuss of ESPN for a piece published Friday. "I'm happy that Kyler's doing that. ... That means that not only the doctors are comfortable, but the player is comfortable with where they're at physically, that they can go do that." 

Billy Heyen noted for the Sporting News back in 2020 that Griffin tore his right ACL in 2009 while in college. RG3 later tore the ACL, LCL and meniscus in his right knee in Jan. 2013. 

Murray made his debut for the 2023 campaign in Week 10 on Nov. 12 and guided the Cardinals to a 25-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Arizona subsequently dropped back-to-back games leading up to this Sunday's matchup at the 7-4 Pittsburgh Steelers that precedes the Cardinals' bye. 

Across his first three games of the season, Murray completed 66-of-107 pass attempts (61.7%) for 719 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 86 yards and three scores on 14 carries. 

"Kyler, he needs every one of his weapons and one of his weapons is his ability to move," Griffin continued. "It's always been that way for him. He can be a quarterback that sits in the pocket, but he's the dynamic $200M quarterback that they paid him to be if he has everything."

As of Friday afternoon, oddschecker listed the 2-10 Cardinals as 5.5-point underdogs against the Steelers. Arizona currently possesses the rights to the second overall pick in next year's draft, and Walter Football projects the club could use that asset to land Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. as a needed weapon for Murray. 

"I'm telling you right now, just as players, the way that we're wired, we're all Type A personalities where we think if we're 70 percent, we're a 100 percent," Griffin added about Murray's mindset. 

It's unknown if the Cardinals would spend a top-two draft pick next spring to select a future replacement for Murray such as USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams or Drake Maye of the North Carolina Tar Heels. Murray clears physical and mental hurdles with each game he finishes healthy, but the 26-year-old may spend Arizona's final five contests auditioning for other clubs.