Is Clayton Tune or Colt McCoy the Cardinals Starting QB In Week 1 If Kyler Murray Is Ruled Out?

June 21, 2023

When will Kyler Murray return from his injury? Who is the Cardinals' starting quarterback? Read the 2023 fantasy football outlook.

Arizona Cardinals’ franchise quarterback Kyler Murray tore his ACL in Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season while playing the New England Patriots. The timetable for recovery is 9-12 months, meaning Murray would be back in mid-September in a best-case scenario. 

It is very unlikely that he is ready by Week 1, and a mid-season return is much more likely than an early-season return. With the Cardinals looking like they are far from a competitive team in the league, there is a lot of belief that Murray will not be rushed back and could be given the entire 2023 season to recover from his ACL injury.

In the likely event that Murray is ruled out for Week 1, Arizona has a few different options that they could hand the reins over to. Colt McCoy, the former Texas Longhorns legend and 13-year NFL veteran, has started six games over the past two seasons for Arizona filling in for Murray. The Cardinals also selected rookie Clayton Tune out of Houston in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. Who will get the start if Murray can’t go?

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The Case for Clayton Tune

Clayton Tune threw for the seventh-most yards in college football in 2022, captaining the air-raid Houston Cougars’ offense with 4,074 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Tune started games as early as his freshman season at Houston and was the full-time starter as a sophomore.

As an NFL prospect, Tune projects as a career backup who can be an efficient spot-starter. Tune’s confidence was an attribute that warranted Arizona to utilize a fifth-round selection on him. While he doesn’t have the biggest arm, he threw up consistent numbers and was a proven winner over the course of his college career.

While we have not seen Tune on an NFL field yet, we have seen him find success at the college level and if the Cardinals are confident in him there is no reason why they shouldn’t give him the reins to the offense given that this season is likely a throwaway season.

The Case for Colt McCoy

Colt McCoy is entering his fourteenth season in the NFL, where he has made a career as a backup quarterback. McCoy has filled in for Kyler Murray six times over the past two seasons and has strung together some decent games, but at this point we know what the ceiling is for the 36-year-old signal caller.

McCoy missed the last three games of the 2022 season with a mixture of concussion symptoms and a neck injury, and lingering injuries have limited his participation in offseason work so far. While McCoy has been limited, there is strong belief that he is the preferred option to start in Week 1 for Arizona if Murray cannot go.

With his experience in the league, McCoy is the safer and more likely bet to roll out Week 1 in the event that Murray is not recovered.

Which Cardinals' Quarterback Should I Draft?

Even in leagues that allow two starting quarterbacks, Cardinals quarterbacks should be avoided save for a late dart throw on Kyler Murray in case he does come back this season. Whoever is starting is likely going to be a low-end streaming option weekly. 

In dynasty, Clayton Tune is an intriguing stash. Colt McCoy struggled to stay healthy last season and if the Cardinals are as bad as expected, there is no reason why they should not give Tune an opportunity at some point this season to run the offense.

McCoy can be rostered in superflex dynasty leagues as a third or fourth quarterback option given that he will likely be the Week 1 starter, and Tune should also be rostered in superflex dynasty leagues where benches are deep enough. Neither should be counted on for weekly starting production, but both could provide solid spot-start weeks.

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