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Arizona Cardinals Rookie Could Be A Surprise Starter

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Clayton Tune Cardinals

There are an endless number of questions needing to be answered by the Arizona Cardinals. The biggest among many, is who will start at quarterback in 2023. Most fans believe it will be veteran Colt McCoy, but the thoughts inside the Arizona brain trust is someone else. Rookie Clayton Tune could be the starter by the time the Cardinals travel to Washington for Week 1.

Rookie Quarterback Clayton Tune Could Start For Arizona Cardinals

McCoy, who is a presence in the locker room and on the field, might not be enough to keep Tune on the sideline. Tune is not unlike injured quarterback Kyler Murray in that his running ability is a weapon McCoy does not possess. He also gives offensive coordinator Drew Petzing a preview of what’s to come when Murray returns. 

The Cardinals are undergoing an identity change. From a major culture change to a shift in ideology, everything is wide open in Arizona. 

New Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon has approached the Cardinals roster like a blank canvas. Everything is under consideration, every player has nothing guaranteed, and the quarterback position, once thought a foregone conclusion, is no longer.

Tune, a fifth-round pick out of Houston, is a rookie who believes he was the best quarterback available. Currently, David Blough and Jeff Driskel will be competing to simply be No.3 in the QB room. Until Murray returns, it’s McCoy and Tune battling for the top spot. While the veteran is the one to go to camp as the starter, some publications are saying once Tune is ready to go, it could be his job. 

“I would say I’m progressing pretty well,” Tune said during minicamp. “It’s just slow and steady each day, focusing on one thing and making sure each day that I’ve improved on that one thing that I set before practice.” Courtesy arizonasports.com.

The Cardinals will have a much different look offensively, and it plays into how both Murray and Tune can play. With both capable of making a lot happen with their arm, their running ability will show in how Arizona re-writes the playbook.

Cardinals Re-Writing Their Playbook

With the Air Raid offense retired, the Cardinals’ new scheme under Petzing will start in the huddle. Either Tune or Murray will use a cadence, there’ll be pointing towards the “Mike linebacker”, and there will be more of an emphasis on the run. 

The offense will see a running attack similar to what the Cleveland Browns did with Arizona’s new offensive coordinator. Expect an increase of 10% more design runs versus what former head coach Kliff Kingsbury ran the past four seasons. Running back James Conner is already a big fan of the added emphasis to the running game, due in large part to studying film of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt in Cleveland. 

“It’s exciting seeing the film and watching some of those guys get the lanes and running 10, 15 yards downfield, sometimes untouched,” Conner said. “So, yeah, it’s exciting. I believe I’m a talented back and it’s going to be a big year.” The Cardinals run-based concept and play-action happens when the running back is lined up directly behind whichever quarterback is under center. left tackle D.J. Humphries and guard Will Hernandez are also big fans of the new rushing attack.

Arizona quarterbacks will be lined up under center far more often than previous. Kingsbury had the Cardinals working out of the shotgun 89.3%. The passing game will look different as well. Look for more two-tight end sets with veteran Zach Ertz and Trey McBride, who is in his second season being heavily involved. 

Rookie Clayton Tune could be the starter for the Cardinals before all is said and done. It could be a great segue to Murray and for Tune an even better introduction to the NFL.

Main Photo: Rob Schumacher – USA Today Sports

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