Cardinals HC shares bold Kyler Murray prediction

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray predicted earlier this summer that he and a regime led by head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort "will win."

Gannon echoed that confidence during a recent chat with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

"I think his best ball is ahead of him," Gannon said about Murray. "I'm expecting him to have a good year."

As recently as this past spring, some within the NFL community openly wondered if the Cardinals could begin the process of eventually moving on from the five-year contract extension worth $230.5M with $160M guaranteed that Murray signed two summers ago. Neither Gannon nor Ossenfort were with the Cardinals when Murray received that deal, and the 27-year-old went 3-5 across eight starts last season coming off the serious knee injury he suffered in December 2022.

According to Pro Football Reference, Murray ended the 2023 regular season ranked 22nd in the NFL among qualified players with a 46.1 adjusted QBR. He tossed 10 touchdown passes and five interceptions over his eight games, and he also rushed for 244 yards and three scores on 44 attempts.

While first-round signal-callers Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix were all available when the Cardinals were called to use the fourth pick of this year's draft, Arizona instead acquired Ohio State Buckeyes star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to serve as Murray's new No. 1 target. As much as Harrison should make life easier for Murray, Gannon mentioned that the first overall choice of the 2019 draft worked hard this offseason to improve aspects of his game.

"I think, probably a little on his end, it's maturity, getting hurt, getting a little bit older and coming out of the first part of his career, he was very open to changing some of the parts of his game for the betterment of the team," Gannon said about Murray. "He's been fantastic. If you lay something out and it relates to winning, he'll do whatever you want with it."

As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Arizona at +300 betting odds to make the playoffs this season. Murray, Harrison and the rest of the Cardinals could deliver quite a statement regarding such forecasts when they open the campaign with a matchup at the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 8.