With the Arizona Cardinals set to square off against the Los Angeles Chargers in the preseason opener, all eyes will undoubtedly be on rookie quarterback Kyler Murray.
Murray has acknowledged the obvious pressures that come with being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Although it may just be an exhibition game, everything he does from here on out will be held under a microscope.
Fortunately, the preseason has hardly ever been an indicator of true success in the NFL and Murray would be wise to simply focus on finding his footing before the start of the 2019 NFL season.
With that said, here are three goals for Murray in his preseason debut.
1. Stay Healthy
There is no question that the Cardinals would love nothing more than for Murray to show why he was the first pick in the draft. His versatile skill set as both a passer and a runner made him one of the most exciting players in the college football last year en route to winning the Heisman Trophy.
Of course, the last thing Arizona needs is for Murray to suffer any sort of setback at this point in the offseason. It is safe to assume that head coach Kliff Kingsbury will be trying to keep the rookie safe in the pocket as much as possible to avoid having him be tempted to run the ball.
Murray's electrifying skill set obviously calls for some improvisation at times. Regardless, the best ability for any player has always been availability.
2. Stick To The Game Plan
The Cardinals pairing of Murray and Kingsbury is not considered to be a traditional one by most football standards. Their approach on offense appears to be largely predicated on in-game situations.
Arizona will likely try to get Murray going from the pocket with the hopes of him building his rapport with wideouts Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk; however, it would be far-fetched to assume that the rookie will not look to tuck and run at some point in the game. This not only puts him at risk of injury but it could also deprive him of some much-needed experience when it comes to establishing the passing game.
While there are few doubts about his ability to make plays with his legs, Murray will need to show the league that he is capable of torching them through the air, first and foremost.
3. Establish Leadership
Although Kingsbury has not elaborated on how much Murray will play against the Chargers, it likely will not be for an extensive period of time. This will give the rookie an ample opportunity to show the kind of teammate he is on the sidelines during games.
When the Cardinals took him with the first pick in the draft, they did so with the hope that he could be an exceptional leader on top of a talented player. Every successful franchise QB has had to take on some kind of a leadership role to help take their team to the next level.
Murray's soft-spoken demeanor suggests that he prefers to lead through actions rather than words. Regardless, he will need to find a healthy balance if he hopes to continue earning the trust of his new teammates.
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