When Will Kyler Murray Play for Cardinals?

The Arizona Cardinals are set to see Kyler Murray return to action - but when?

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals welcomed Kyler Murray to the practice field last week, a major step in the process of getting their franchise quarterback back on the playing field. 

Murray is nearing completion of fully recovering from a torn ACL and meniscus suffered late last season. At this point, it might be more on Murray to not only grasp the offense before being thrown into the fire, but also getting over the mental hurdle of such a significant injury as well. 

There's no doubting what Murray's presence has done at the facility. Even being there as a reporter, you could sense a different (and better) vibe when talking to players and coaches. 

One of a handful of Cardinals captains in LT D.J. Humphries spoke on his return last week.

"It's exciting for me," Humphries said. "Just seeing him running around ... I know he's trending in the right direction. When I saw him come in the huddle, I had to like chill because he was trying to be calm and I was excited."

So - when will Murray actually touch the field for the Cardinals? 

Last week, he had a 21-day practice window opened for his participation. The team can activate him to the roster at any given time during that period, but they must do so by Nov. 8. 

Arizona has been consistent in their message when handling Murray's return: They will not rush him back under no circumstance. 

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport outlined two possible games for the quarterback's return:

"Based on the early returns, so far so good. However, don't expect a quick move back to the active roster for Murray.

"Sources say Murray's return is expected to take multiple weeks, with the most likely outcome that he practices for three weeks, then plays on Nov. 12 against the Falcons. There is also a chance he is able to return on Nov. 5 against the Browns if all goes perfectly well on the field and off it."

The timeline makes sense - the Cardinals are 1-6 heading into Week 8 and are clearly more than a quarterback away from being a fully competent team, though Arizona would undoubtedly be in a better position with Murray at the helm.

Seattle was never a realistic possibility and this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens is still considered a stretch due to the limited time frame. 

On the road against the Cleveland Browns the following week might scare away the team due to a combination of playing surface/weather/Cleveland's strong defense, and thus the popular date for Murray to return would be Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons.  

As Rapoport stated, the Browns game on Nov. 5 is indeed a possibility if things do go smoothly. However a date at home in a familiar environment against a lesser opponent in the Falcons could make more sense, if the organization sees any value in those factors.

It will be up to head coach Jonathan Gannon, who deemed the ultimate decision to be "organizational" for when Murray will touch the field again, though the Cardinals reportedly still are wanting to be patient with their franchise quarterback.