Cardinals to Not Rush Kyler Murray Back Against Browns

The Cardinals travel to Cleveland for a Week 9 matchup and former Brown Josh Dobbs is expected to start for Arizona

Cleveland is still licking its wounds after letting a victory slip through their hands Sunday in Seattle. On Monday, the Browns got some news regarding the quarterback situation of their next opponent, the Arizona Cardinals.

Reports from the NFL Network suggest that Arizona is still ramping up its franchise quarterback, Kyler Murray, although he is considered healthy after recovering from a torn ACL last December. Murray has practiced the last couple weeks after being activated off the IR, but word is, Arizona is treating this as a personal preseason for the former Heisman winner.

From The Insiders on #NFLPlus: Taking a look at when #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray may play and what it means. pic.twitter.com/MAAqrtQnXB

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 30, 2023

This report echos what Cardinals first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon said after the team's loss to Baltimore on Sunday, that Joshua Dobbs would start over Murray. However, there's an added wrinkle mentioned that Gannon could look to work Murray into the game plan.

Ironically, as the preseason was coming to a close, Browns' GM Andrew Berry got a call from the Cardinals' decision maker, Monti Ossenfort inquiring about Browns' backup QB, Dobbs. That conversation ended with the Cardinals sending their 2024 5th-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Dobbs.

Dobbs' role in Arizona would be to bridge the gap at the start of the year until former first-overall pick Kyler Murray returns from his torn ACL. That time has come and Murray is planning his return. Luckily for Browns fans, Murray is going to stay sidelined this upcoming Sunday in Cleveland.

Oct 8, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs (9) warms up prior to facing the Cincinnati Bengals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The news on Murray should produce a collective sigh of relief from the Browns faithful, as Sunday has become yet another high-stakes game in Cleveland. The Browns just needed to finish off the last two minutes in Seattle and they would be in a really good position heading to the second half of the season.

In Cleveland's upcoming slate, it faces Arizona, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Denver. Taking on a Kyler Murray-less Cardinals team on Sunday is a manageable first roadblock on the Browns path to earning a playoff berth.