Joshua Dobbs will no longer be the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, but it’s not necessarily because Kyler Murray is ready to return.
Following the team’s fifth consecutive loss, Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon made the decision to demote Dobbs after reviewing the game film. Gannon told the media that either Murray or rookie Clayton Tune would start in Arizona’s next game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
However, the key factor here is Murray’s return. Murray did not appear on the injury report at the end of last week, but curiously, he was still listed as doubtful. Gannon tends to be secretive about his quarterback decisions and kept Murray’s status a mystery until late last week. He will probably follow the same approach this week. Murray is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered late last season.
Dobbs had a promising start to the season, but things gradually unraveled for him and the Cardinals. In Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, Dobbs completed 25 of 37 passes for only 208 yards and threw two interceptions.
Starting against Cleveland would be a challenging task for Tune, a fifth-round rookie who has thrown just one NFL pass. On the other hand, it would also be a tough game for Murray to make his return, especially if the weather conditions are unfavorable.
The only certainty is that Dobbs won’t be the starter on Sunday. Gannon probably won’t reveal much else until he has to.
