If Week 10 proved anything, it’s that benching Kyler Murray won’t fix all the issues with the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals lost in spectacular fashion with the former first-overall pick on the injured reserve, losing 44-22 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score would suggest.
Last week at this point, the Cardinals moving on from Kyler Murray seemed like a foregone conclusion. However, could this loss force Arizona to re-evaluate its quarterback position and give him another chance?
What Happens With Kyler Murray After Cardinals Blowout Loss?
Option 1: Keep Him, Fire Jonathan Gannon
Kyler Murray may not be destined for the Hall of Fame, but it’s clear he’s not the biggest issue with this team. Veteran Jacoby Brissett is one of the league’s better backup quarterbacks, and his various stints throughout the league prove that he can win games in the right environment. However, the Cardinals have not provided that environment, as he’s 1-3 this year following yesterday’s blowout loss.
The loss also dropped Gannon to 15-27 as a head coach, good for a .357 winning percentage. The former Eagles defensive coordinator inherited a mess, so nobody should blame him for not being able to win games with the 2023 roster. However, the team is three years into its campaign and has yet to record a winning season. At the end of the day, a coach needs to win games, and Gannon isn’t getting the job done. Kyler Murray isn’t good enough to power poor teams to the playoffs, but he could succeed in a more favorable environment.
Option 2: Keep Him And Gannon
This is probably the least desirable option of the three, but it is within the realm of possibilities. The Arizona Cardinals are not the worst team in the league by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re far from the best. At the end of the day, this team simply lacks the talent to be anything more than a Wild Card contender.
If the Cardinals believe they have a foundation for success, the best course of action would be to keep both players around and build for the future. This would also be the cheapest option, as Arizona wouldn’t need to worry about paying a new head coach and finding a way to unload Murray’s contract.
Option 3: Blow It Up
This is probably the most likely outcome. Kyler Murray isn’t good enough to justify a $230 million contract, and head coach Jonathan Gannon cannot win games with or without Murray in the lineup. While the Murray-Gannon duo isn’t as disastrous a marriage as Josh Rosen and Steve Wilks, it’s not a winning combination.
Embracing another rebuild isn’t fun, but it needs to be done. Murray and Gannon have taken this team as far as they can go, and it’s not good enough for even a playoff appearance. The next quarterback-coach combination might be worse, but it could also be a lot better.
Main Photo: Ken Blaze – Imagn Images
The post What’s Next For Kyler Murray? 3 Options After Cardinals Lose Without Him appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.