Kyler Murray suffered a torn ACL in December of 2022. After 11 months of rehabilitation and training, the former No. 1 overall draft pick returned to the field Sunday against the Falcons.
Murray looked like himself during the win. His first throw sailed high but that was probably a blessing for Hollywood Brown, who was being led into a sandwich between two Falcons defenders. The interception was bad and another was very nearly picked off, but overall it was a positive debut for the former No. 1 overall selection.
Murray was evading pressure and extending plays all afternoon. The quarterback had some beautiful throws dropping the ball in a bucket downfield. Second-year tight end Trey McBride was one particular beneficiary of Murray’s return. McBride had eight receptions for 131 yards, becoming the first Cardinals tight end with at least 100 receiving yards since 1989.
The Cardinals will be better with Murray, but what will his return mean for Arizona’s draft plans and the team’s future as a whole?
Where the Cardinals will likely pick
The win percentage of the seven remaining teams on Arizona’s schedule is .563, which includes games against the Steelers, 49ers, Seahawks and Eagles. It is a difficult road for any team to navigate. After the Week 10 win over Atlanta, the franchise’s odds of getting the No. 1 overall selection dropped from 37% to 18%. There is still a 62.5% chance that the team picks inside the top 3, according to SportsLine’s projections.
The Cardinals’ roster is deficient of talent in a lot of areas but the play of its quarterback certainly bridges the gap between other teams in some aspects. They may not be favored in any of their remaining games but an upgrade at the game’s most important position will certainly lead to higher odds of victory. With two wins in their back pocket and remaining games against the Rams and Bears, Arizona cannot afford two more wins if…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfl-draft-how-kyler-murrays-return-could-impact-the-draft-and-the-cardinals-future/
Author : Josh Edwards
Publish date : 2023-11-15 15:31:32
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