FLOWERY BRANCH — The Cardinals are a team in transition.
They hired a new general manager in Monti Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon, while quarterback Kyler Murray was out rehabbing his right knee.
Murray, who signed a five-year, $230 million contract under the previous regime, is set to return Sunday against the Falcons (4-5) and will be the X-factor when the Falcons meet the Cardinals (1-8) at 4:05 p.m. at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Murray, who received $160 million in guaranteed money in his new deal, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. He was named to the Pro Bowl after he guided the Cardinals to an 8-8 mark in 2020 and 9-5 in 2021.
The new regime must find out if Murray is their quarterback of the future. If they discover over their final eight games that he is not, and they want to reset with another high draft pick, Murray essentially is showing off his wares for the rest of the NFL.
The Falcons, with an unsettled quarterback transition, could find themselves back in the quarterback market. They have benched the first two successors to Matt Ryan in Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder. Backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke is set to start against the Cardinals.
In addition to Murray, Chicago’s Justin Fields and Tennessee’s Malik Willis also could become available. The Titans have decided to play Will Levis, who was drafted a year after Willis and after a change in general manager. There’s also been a GM change in Chicago since Fields was drafted.
The Falcons had a chance to draft Fields, but selected tight end Kyle Pitts with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft. They had a chance to take Willis, but picked Ridder with the 74th overall pick in the third round of the 2022 draft.
The Falcons jumped into the quarterback pool in 2022 when they tried to trade for and then sign Deshaun Watson. Cleveland gave up the picks and a $250 million guaranteed contract to beat out the Falcons. The Falcons traded Matt Ryan, signed Mariota and then drafted Ridder.
Murray, Fields and Willis are mobile quarterbacks who could drop into the Falcons offense and distribute the ball to the weapons they have amassed in wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson and Pitts.
The Falcons would have to trade for Murray and think that his price tag is not too high.
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