Injuries Or Tanking ... The 2023 Cardinals

[Brian wolf]

I hope I am wrong, I hope Florio is wrong but what the hell are the Arizona Cardinals doing?

QB Kyler Murray is injured and not starting the regular season opener. No one quite knows when he will recover from knee surgery. Colt McCoy was supposed to start in his place for the opening game but has been released. Why? Is his lingering elbow injury that bad or does the team want to go with more youth and inexperience at QB? Why have they not gotten another quality veteran during this free agency, offseason?

There is speculation they may sit Murray when he is healthy and tank the season for the chance to grab Caleb Williams in the draft at #1 but why? They are paying Murray a boatload of money as it is ... do they want to get rid of him before the ink on the contract is dry? Are they that desperate for the chance at Williams?

Gannon is a new head coach and wants to change the team but would he be willing to tank games to get a better QB? Is this something that the owner and front office want to achieve?

Meanwhile, Wentz and Ryan are available to join a new team, though mentally, they both may be done. Mariota in Philly could get cut but people are questioning his love for the game. In the NFL, fans deserve to see their teams making the best effort to put the best players on the field to win games. Will the Cardinals oblige or sabatoge their fans trying to get a future rookie QB who may or not make a difference?

I guess its too late for the team to sign Kaepernick, so they will start the season with newly signed Joshua Dobbs or rookie Clayton Tune. Does the team feel Tune can break out like Purdy in SF? Sounds like a tank job to me. I really dont think Murray will come back till at least October but we will see. They need to play him when he is ready and see if he can win games for them. If not, then cut him loose. If they lose games early, they may shelve him.
Lets hope not ...

[Brian wolf]

With Dobbs still trying to get acclimated to his new team in Arizona, I think the Clayton Tune era will officially begin in wk 1 vs the Redskins ...

Does HC Gannon see something in Tune to feel he was a better option than Colt McCoy, who went 3-3 as a starter in Arizona?

With Murray officially missing the first four games of the season, could he be back for week 5 or 6? By then, they could have the worst record in football or win money for gamblers as underdogs.

Gannon better have his charges ready to play or a tank job could have him done in just year one ...

[racepug]

It sure looks like they're tanking on the season, doesn't it? I mean, releasing a proven veteran (though, admittedly, not a superstar) at QB, the guy almost everybody figured would start the season for them, is mind boggling. This is the kind of situation where it would be a good idea to have what exists in most professional soccer leagues throughout the world: pro(motion)/rel(egation). Because if we did have that here in North America, the way they're going about things the Cardinals would almost certainly be a candidate to be relegated to (say) the USFL at season's end instead of apparently positioning themselves to have the #1 (and also possibly the #2) pick in next spring's draft. That's NOT the way the draft system is supposed to work - you're SUPPOSED to give it your all and if by the end of the season you end up with the worst record in the league, so be it. But you're not supposed to TRY to suck! Very distasteful on the part of the ARZ Cardinals if that's what they're doing.

[Brian wolf]

Gannon has no loyalty to Murray as well, they could dump him if they feel he isnt worth the coin theyre paying him. This was a playoff team, with talent galore but Murray may have rubbed players the wrong way. Even Fitzgerald wanted out and Hopkins wasnt the same player coming from the Texans. Murray better play his ass off and lead these teammates once he returns or Dobbs/Tune could be playing enough to audition for teams in the future. I would love to see Dobbs develop, since he didnt stay with the Titans. He reminds me of another Nashville QB from the past in Joe Gilliam. This is a huge opportunity for him and the rookie.

This team may not win much but could play spoiler for gamblers who like favorites ...

[sheajets]

It sure looks like they're tanking on the season, doesn't it? I mean, releasing a proven veteran (though, admittedly, not a superstar) at QB, the guy almost everybody figured would start the season for them, is mind boggling. This is the kind of situation where it would be a good idea to have what exists in most professional soccer leagues throughout the world: pro(motion)/rel(egation). Because if we did have that here in North America, the way they're going about things the Cardinals would almost certainly be a candidate to be relegated to (say) the USFL at season's end instead of apparently positioning themselves to have the #1 (and also possibly the #2) pick in next spring's draft. That's NOT the way the draft system is supposed to work - you're SUPPOSED to give it your all and if by the end of the season you end up with the worst record in the league, so be it. But you're not supposed to TRY to suck! Very distasteful on the part of the ARZ Cardinals if that's what they're doing.

Don't like the idea of relegation or any of that soccer stuff, but I'd go for an end of year draft lottery. Teams with the 5 or 6 worst records in the league at the end of the season go into a drawing and they pull the draft order. I think it would help in mitigating full on tanking

Also Gannon just appearance wise reminds me a bit of Gase without the weird eyes that Gase has

[racepug]

but I'd go for an end of year draft lottery. Teams with the 5 or 6 worst records in the league at the end of the season go into a drawing and they pull the draft order. I think it would help in mitigating full on tanking

You make a good point. I'd forgotten about that.

Also Gannon just appearance wise reminds me a bit of Gase without the weird eyes that Gase has

[Brian wolf]

Looks like Dobbs will be starting for the Cards on opening weekend. A lot to prepare for after joining the team so recently but I hope he can get better and give the fans something to cheer about. Winning games might be another matter ...

[racepug]

Also Gannon just appearance wise reminds me a bit of Gase without the weird eyes that Gase has

Only two games but already you appear to be correct on Gannon. The Cardinals appear to be well on their way to contending for the #1 pick in next spring's draft.

[Brian wolf]

Yep, the team snatched a spectacular defeat from the jaws of victory ...