Cardinals free agency preview: In-house options aplenty at QB

Let’s take a look at the Arizona Cardinals’ roster position by position as we near the NFL free agency period.

NFL teams can begin signing players when the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 18, at 1 p.m.

First, let’s look at a position that last year was a priority and this year looks to be relatively easy to navigate: quarterback.

The basics

Players under contract: Kyler Murray, Drew Anderson, Chris Streveler (futures)

Free agents: Brett Hundley

What we know

There will be major steps forward to take for Kyler Murray in his second NFL season. First and foremost, last year’s No. 1 pick must cut down on the 48 sacks from a year ago.

About half of those sacks were on Murray opposed to the offensive line.

The Associated Press Offensive Player of the year should be able to build on 3,722 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He should be able to rush for more than 544 yards knowing better what he can and can’t do in coach Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. His arm and leg talent didn’t show any signs for alarm. In fact, his physical tools and mental processing all lent more belief he can become everything and more that warranted the status of a top pick.

Now it’s just a matter of how Arizona insures itself if Murray were to get hurt.

Backup Brett Hundley enters free agency with the potential to land in a place with more opportunity, but that’s likely going to be a situation on a team that scrambles looking for a Plan C or D.

Where free agent quarterbacks Tom Brady, Ryan Tannehill, Philip Rivers, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota and others end up matter. Until then, it’s hard to predict if some team might give Hundley a chance to win a starting job. How willing the Cardinals will want to wait on Hundley as he watches the dominoes fall in the market remains to be seen.

The good news is that Hundley not only is an Arizona-grown player but said after the year he developed a bond with Murray while playing behind him. Hundley also picked up and fit in Kingsbury’s offense, looking plenty comfortable in the preseason and limited action toward the end of the year.

He went 5-of-11 for 49 yards and rushed for 41 more on seven carries. His rushing abilities make him a nice fit in the scheme.

Re-signing with Arizona if an extension isn’t reached makes sense for both the player and the team.

Big question: What if Hundley departs?

Drew Anderson flashed a raw arm and surprising athleticism as an undrafted rookie in camp last year, and his familiarity in the system gets him a leg up on the other darkhorse candidate to make the team or practice squad, Chris Streveler.

In two seasons with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Streveler completed 65% of his passes for 2,698 yards and 19 touchdowns with 19 picks. He rushed for 1,167 yards on 5.7 yards per rush, adding 22 touchdowns as a dual-threat quarterback.

His potential to become a utility weapon at a physical 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds could push Arizona to keep three quarterbacks on the roster for the regular season.

Anderson and Streveler likely won’t keep Arizona from adding a backup quarterback, however, be that Hundley or someone else. They need some NFL experience behind Murray.

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