Arizona Cardinals activate Kyler Murray to 53-man roster, still on track to start Sunday

In all reality, it likely will take at least a few weeks before quarterback Kyler Murray truly starts to settle in and can operate the Arizona Cardinals’ offense at a high level.

That doesn’t mean that offensive coordinator Drew Petzing doesn’t have big expectations for Murray right away. When asked what the best-case scenario is for Murray on Sunday when he is expected to start against the visiting Atlanta Falcons and for the rest of the season, Petzing didn’t hold back.

“No incomplete passes and five to eight touchdowns a game,” Petzing said Tuesday.

If only it were that easy. Eleven months after tearing his right ACL, however, Murray was officially activated to the 53-man roster on Tuesday and if all goes well in practice this week, he’ll make his season debut as scheduled. All Petzing is hoping for is that Murray and the Cardinals’ offense can handle things cleanly from an operational standpoint.

“Decision making, (getting) in and out of the huddle, communication with me, communication with his teammates, making sure that his feet are comfortable, his eyes are in the right place and the ball is going where it needs to go,” Petzing said. “I think that’s going to be a big part of getting his feet back under him as he starts to play at full speed.”

No one is expecting Murray to suddenly turn the season completely around for the Cardinals, who are 1-8 and have lost six straight games. But his mere presence alone has got to be better than what we saw this past Sunday during a 27-0 blowout loss at Cleveland with rookie quarterback Clayton Tune.

The Cardinals finished with just 58 total yards of offense, the lowest since the Chicago Cardinals were held to 55 yards by Philadelphia back in 1955.

“It certainly wasn’t good enough,” Petzing said. “I think it was collectively coaching, playing. We got outplayed, we got outcoached. We’ve got to move on. That was kind of message on Monday was, ‘Flush it.’ Every once in a while in this league it happens. We’ve got to take from it what we can, but you’ve got to move on quickly because we’ve got another game coming.”

Assuming there are no setbacks with Murray, this is the game the entire coaching staff has been waiting for – the chance to see what the Cardinals’ new offense can do with the former Heisman Trophy winner, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and two-time Pro Bowl selection at the controls.

It’s been a tireless rehab process for Murray, who injured his knee on a non-contact play against the Patriots last December at State Farm Stadium. Finally playing in a game will be the final stage of that journey, although again, there’s no question he will need time to get super comfortable in this offense.

“We’ve got to be willing to understand that it might not look like Kyler,” coach Jonathan Gannon said Monday. “I think he’s got a good expectation of that. The coaches have a good expectation of that. But I know this: He’s going to come out there and play his game and help us win.”

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It would help if Murray could be assured that his starting offensive line will be intact against the NFL’s sixth-ranked defense, which is allowing just 304.0 yards per game. Left tackle D.J. Humphries (ankle) and right guard Will Hernandez (knee) left Sunday’s game in Cleveland with fourth-quarter injuries and there are also issues at left guard with two players sidelined with injuries of their own.

In all likelihood, Arizona will try rolling out maximum protection up front with two tight ends helping to block, but whoever starts along the offensive line, Petzing is confident Murray won’t be a sitting duck.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I think at the end of the day the five people we put out there we’re going to feel good about. Certainly, we wish everyone’s healthy. You’re always going to wish that. But I feel very confident in whoever’s getting asked to go out there on Sunday they can get the job done.”

The expected return of running back James Conner from a knee injury would also go a long way in helping Murray get his feet wet. After missing four games, Conner is eligible to have his practice window opened and Gannon sounded somewhat optimistic the Cardinals could also get their No.1 rusher back on the field Sunday.

Conner still leads the club in rushing with 364 yards on 68 carries and his 4.6 average run per carry still ranks among NFL leaders. But there are other elements to his game that Murray and the Cardinals will welcome such as his on-field tenacity, rugged style, and tone-setting leadership.

“I think you saw what he could bring to the offense and bring to the team,” Petzing said, adding, “We’re really excited to get him back out there. He’s violent, he plays with a presence, he plays with an attitude and he’s also a great teammate so we’re looking forward to that whenever it happens.”

Murray has taken the majority of his snaps in his first four NFL seasons out of the shotgun formation. In Petzing’s offense, most plays are designed to start with the quarterback lining up directly under center, however.

“He’s been in the shotgun, but I wouldn’t say under center is not a strength of his,” Petzing said. “Hd was in an offense that didn’t put him under center by nature of the scheme, but I don’t think it was any limitation to his ability. So, I have no fear of putting him under center.

“I’m not going to tell you where we’re going to be 80, 90 or 100 percent of the time, but he could be under center the first half of the game and I wouldn’t hesitate.”

Roster moves

In addition to activating Murray, the Cardinals also placed cornerback Bobby Price on injured reserve and released receiver Daniel Arias from the practice squad.