There will be no Kyler Murray in the preseason.
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said Tuesday that the team’s franchise quarterback will not play during the preseason, which begins on Saturday against the Saints at State Farm Stadium.
“I like where he’s at right now,” Gannon said. “I like how the offense is operating, and I think he will get done everything that he needs to get done to be the best version of himself on opening day.”
When it comes to playing time, Gannon said instances change based on multiple factors: age, health, and competition status among others. For first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr., Gannon said that he’s made a decision whether the wide receiver will play Saturday but didn’t share the result publicly.
Most NFL franchise stars won’t see much of the field during the preseason. Murray said he likes to play, but Gannon said the quarterback understood his decision.
Gannon added that Murray and the Cardinals still have a lot of practices left before the opener in Buffalo, including joint work in Indianapolis next week. The Cardinals will have two days of practice against the Colts, a team that made the playoffs last season. It should be a good test for Murray and the Cardinals offense.
After the Colts game, the Cardinals close the preseason with a trip to Denver.
While Gannon urged people to not read into the first depth chart, Desmond Ridder is listed as the backup quarterback for now, with Clayton Tune serving as the third string. Both will get significant work in the preseason with Murray benched as they compete for the backup spot.
“It’s a very healthy (battle),” Gannon said. “Good competition between those two. They’re both doing a good job.”
