The Arizona Cardinals have decided to go in a different direction at quarterback in Week 9 with star Kyler Murray inching closer to a return from injury. After eight games with Joshua Dobbs as the starter under center, Arizona will start rookie Clayton Tune against the Cleveland Browns in Week 9 barring a “significant change of plans”, league sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Cardinals to start Clayton Tune in Week 9
Tune, 24, was selected by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. In a surprising turn of events, Dobbs, who was holding the fort down well until Murray's return, has seemingly been demoted.
Dobbs, 28, has completed 62.8 percent of his passes for 1,569 passing yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions while leading the Cardinals to a surprise upset win- their only victory of the season- over the Dallas Cowboys back in Week 3. Gannon had initially named Dobbs the Cardinals' starter for the game against Cleveland.
Dobbs threw a pair of interceptions and fumbled the ball in the Week 8 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, so perhaps Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has seen enough from the veteran, who has been turnover-prone lately, and wants to see what the organization has in Tune.
But Murray's potential return could complicate things.
When will Kyler Murray return from injury?
Murray, the former number-one overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, suffered a torn ACL in his right knee back in December of 2022 in a game against the New England Patriots, causing him to miss the rest of the season.
The Cardinals opened Murray's 21-day practice window back on October 18, designating him to return. Arizona has one more week left before the team has to activate him.
Gannon told reporters that Murray was healthy before the game against the Ravens, and a report from Rapoport stated that Week 10 is the most likely time for Murray's return.
That points to Tune, the rookie, getting his first career start against a fearsome Browns defense.
Who is Clayton Tune? Meet potential Cardinals starter
Tune, a former 3-star prospect, committed to the Houston Cougars back in January of 2018 after originally committing to the Kansas Jayhawks in February of 2017.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound signal-caller spent five seasons with Houston, enjoying his two most productive years in 2021 and 2022.
Tune threw for 7,416 passing yards, 70 touchdowns and 20 interceptions while running for 698 yards and seven touchdowns in his final two college seasons. Tune is an accurate passer, having completed at least 67 percent of his passes in each of his last two seasons.
He'll need to be accurate on Sunday, as he'll be facing a Browns defense that ranks first in the NFL against the pass. Cardinals fans will want to stay tuned to this situation to see if it will be Tune or Murray under center in Week 9.
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