Kyler Murray mum on return, doesn’t feel behind at all in Cardinals offense

GLENDALE — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray seemed like his old self when he met with reporters following Day 4 of training camp on Saturday.

In front of the media for the first time since he went down with his torn ACL in a Week 14 loss last season, Murray dove into the road he’s been on and what lies ahead.

And among those items that lie ahead is the quarterback’s eventual return to action.

Whenever that may be.

“I have no answer for you,” Murray said when asked how close he thought he was to returning to play. “I have taken it one day at a time. I don’t have a timetable or whatever. Just taking it one day at a time.”

Much like #AZCardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon and GM Monti Ossenfort have said throughout the offseason, QB Kyler Murray did not want to put any sort of timeline on a return to action.
 
"I'm taking it one day at a time." pic.twitter.com/seH7f94W2t

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July 29, 2023

Relegated to the physically unable to perform list as camp got underway this week, Murray is unable to participate in practices.

That doesn’t mean, however, that he isn’t getting reps in a new-look offense, albeit from a mental aspect.

“It’s the only thing I can do,” Murray said. “Just try to get the mental reps, try to spit out the calls as much as possible and just do as many things as possible for when it’s actual real live bullets and I’m the one out there, because it is a new system. It is a lot more wordy than we’ve been accustomed to. It’s getting there though.

“I don’t feel behind at all,” the QB added. “I’m picking it up pretty fast, pretty well. I think the coaches would say so as well. We’re doing things to allow me to learn it faster. If I wasn’t taking the mental reps … then I’d probably be behind.”

#Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray addresses the media for the first time since his ACL injury and talks about taking mental reps while learning the new system under head coach Jonathan Gannon: pic.twitter.com/THq7w7jqjV

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) July 29, 2023

A change in offensive mindset was far from the only switch-up this offseason for the signal caller, either, thanks to an organizational overhaul jumpstarted by the hirings of head coach Jonathan Gannon and Monti Ossenfort after Kliff Kingsbury was shown the door.

The writing was on the wall following Arizona’s season finale that changes had to be made, from the constant off-the-field distractions to the questionable play-calling and scheming.

So far, Murray is liking what he’s seeing out the new regime.

“I think with the things coach Gannon and Monti have put into place, there’s structure from top to bottom. It’s a lot more detail-orientated and attention to detail. It allows me, being the guy that I am, it doesn’t come off as how it may have came off in the past where (I’m) screaming at coaches. It’s not any of that.

“Everybody’s just trying to win, we’re all trying to be on the same page. If you mess up this little detail, we’ll hold you accountable for it. … It’s getting preached to everyone, not just one person, and I think the communication throughout this whole thing has been great.”

EXTRA POINT

– Murray on what he learned about himself throughout the injury and rehab process:

“Nothing. If anything, I just gained more resiliency and kind of a bulletproof mindset. I was already confident and didn’t really give a (expletive) about what other people thought about me or said about me.

“But this is different. This is kind of you and you. Nobody really knows what you’re going through but yourself and whoever you’re working out with.”

#AZCardinals quarterback Kyler Murray shares what he learned about himself through his recovery process: pic.twitter.com/Y6L0RgJs68

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) July 29, 2023

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