There was not a lot of flashy football played during the past weekend. However, this means there are many things to discuss in this Four Verts column. The Cardinals have announced that Kyler Murray is returning as the team’s starting quarterback this upcoming weekend. This is a significant milestone in the team’s rebuild after Murray tore his ACL less than a year ago. He is one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL and the Cardinals currently hold the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. This gives them two valuable assets to shape the future of the league.
Even if Murray plays well, it’s unlikely that the Cardinals would win many games due to the talent on their roster and their low ranking in terms of expected points allowed per play. Murray’s return also marks the beginning of the 2024 NFL Draft season and has major implications around the league.
The Ravens have been showcasing a relentless defense under the guidance of defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Their secondary has been exceptional and they have restricted opponents to minimal points. They rank second in expected points allowed per play, success rate, and on third and fourth downs. The defense is filled with remarkable players such as Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton.
The Jets are in trouble after a disappointing loss where their defense held strong but their offense struggled. Zach Wilson, the team’s starting quarterback has underperformed, raising questions about the team’s future and the end of year potential firings.
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There wasn’t a lot of exciting football played this past weekend, but that actually gives me a lot of things to talk about in this Four Verts column. One team is, mercifully, going to get its starting quarterback from injury while another team in New York wishes it had its quarterback available.
The Cardinals announced a significant landmark in their rebuild when head coach Jonathan Gannon stated that Kyler Murray will resume his role as Arizona’s starting quarterback this weekend, assuming his health remains on track to make that a possibility. It’s a huge success for Murray to get back on the field less than a year after tearing his ACL, but there’s also much larger implications for the Cardinals and the rest of the league.
Murray is currently one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL and has the talent to lead offenses for several years to come, but the Cardinals also find themselves currently possessing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. A potential franchise quarterback and the ability to draft their own gives the Cardinals two premium assets that can shape the rest of the league.
The best-case scenario for the Cardinals is Murray reverts back into the quarterback that made the team comfortable giving him a five-year, $230 million contract. The hardest thing to find in the NFL is a franchise QB and Murray’s blend of physical ability, accuracy and age (he turned 26 in August) still gives him a shot to stay in Arizona for the long term. Even if Murray returns to form, it’s unlikely that the Cardinals would win a lot o…
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