Can Kyler Murray Ignite the Arizona Cardinals’ Leap from Mediocre to Must-Watch?
AdvertisementHere’s the breakdown from Yahoo Sports’ Matt Harmon:Murray has started 82 games for the Arizona Cardinals over six seasons. He’ll turn 28 years old before this season starts.
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
“We were able to put up points last year but there were a lot of things left out there that we as an offense, guys in that room, we realize we can be 10 times better,” Murray said, according to the team’s site. “That’s irritating but at the same time, looking at the whole team, I think they did the right thing attacking what they felt necessary.”
The Cardinals probably aren’t going to be one of the NFL’s worst teams. The improvements to the roster, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, provide a steady floor. But that doesn’t mean there’s a big step forward coming either. Maybe the Cardinals are just going to be stuck in the middle. They have won just one division title since 2009, and that was 10 years ago. They have one playoff win since Kurt Warner retired. Maybe the new pieces don’t fit great on defense, Marvin Harrison Jr. has another year of being good but nowhere near great, James Conner’s workload catches up to him and Kyler Murray is average again. A year of stagnation, particularly with Murray, would bring on the realization that the Cardinals aren’t getting out of their rut anytime soon.
Murray has been fine over his career, but rarely much more. His ranks in many stats that compare players to the league average paint Murray as a perfectly mediocre quarterback. His career marks in QB rating+, INT percentage+, TD percentage+, sack percentage+, adjusted net yards per attempt+, adjusted yards per attempt+, yards per attempt+ and net yards per attempt+ — all of which take a player’s stats and compare them to the league average, with a score of 100 being league average on Pro Football Reference — are between 97 and 104. All about average. He’s near the middle of the road in everything except completion percentage+, which was a bit above average at 112. Murray has always added value as a runner, but has only one season above 600 rushing yards. Lamar Jackson has seven. Pro Football Focus ranked Murray as the 15th-best starting quarterback, slightly above the median, and that seems about right.
From Yahoo’s Ben Fawkes: “The Cardinals surpassed their win total last season (going 8-9 with a win total of 7), and have an over/under of 8.5 at BetMGM this season. With a soft opening schedule (Arizona is favored in five of its first six games), the Cardinals have a chance to get off to a good start. They seem like the third-best team in a tough NFC West behind the Rams and 49ers, but the Cardinals should be battling for a playoff spot. Look for a big sophomore season from Marvin Harrison Jr., who should be the clear No. 1 option at WR for Kyler Murray. I like Harrison Jr. to go over 925.5 receiving yards.”
“What do they say? You’re hitting your prime around, what, about to be 28 years old? I feel good.”
The Cardinals had the worst defense in the NFL in 2023, according to DVOA, or ranked in the bottom two in stats like EPA (expected points added) per play allowed. And then, last season, Arizona had the fourth-most games lost due to injury on defense, according to FTN Fantasy’s adjusted games lost metric. Somehow the Cardinals rose to the 14th best defense in DVOA, 15th in points allowed and 21st in yards allowed (EPA allowed per play wasn’t as kind, with Arizona ranking 25th). The Cardinals were far from great on defense but it wasn’t a liability either. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon deserves a lot of credit for that. (Christian Petersen via Getty Images)
Best-case scenario
A win-loss record isn’t a quarterback stat because football is a team game, but it’s not a big surprise that Arizona is 36-45-1 in Murray’s starts. Arizona invested the first pick of the draft and then a 0.5 million extension into Murray, and doesn’t have a playoff win to show for it.
Nightmare scenario
The comment about Murray hitting his prime is a reminder of two things: We’re often told that Murray’s breakout season is coming … which means after six seasons the former No. 1 overall pick hasn’t had a breakout yet, despite a significant sample size.
The crystal ball says
“Lastly, and this is the part where I have the most hesitation in forecasting change, I’m a little concerned that Harrison’s best skills don’t align with Kyler Murray’s game as a passer, based on watching them play together last year. Harrison’s most commonly run route and highest success rate came on dig routes in his Reception Perception sample. He’s fantastic at working over the middle of the field against man and zone coverage. You see his polish as a player in this segment of the field. Murray just left so many of those open plays on the field. If we’re being charitable, he turned them down, but while it might not be the nicest thing to say, I just don’t think he sees them.
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