Colt McCoy cut, making Cardinals’ Week 1 starting quarterback uncertain

The Arizona Cardinals on Monday cut veteran quarterback Colt McCoy.

With the near-simultaneous report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that indicated Kyler Murray would begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, it opens the door for either newly acquired Josh Dobbs or rookie Clayton Tune to start Week 1 of the season at the Washington Commanders.

Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon said it’s an open competition between the quarterbacks in the next week-plus and he will not formally name a starter. He was asked if the team could depart for a Sept. 10 opener without announcing a starting quarterback.

“I’m not going to name a starter because I think it’s a competitive advantage for us going to Washington but we’ll know who the starter is,” Gannon told reporters.

Along with McCoy, Arizona also cut safety Sean Chandler and cornerback Nate Hairston, while placing offensive lineman Pat Elflein on injured reserve.

It appeared that McCoy was an option to open the year as starter after competing with Tune, plus veterans David Blough and Jeff Driskel, for the right to start.

McCoy has seemingly been the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to earning the starting nod, seeing the majority of first-team reps throughout training camp.

His limited preseason action — 12 total attempts in two games played — only added to the narrative.

McCoy had been praised by the new regime since its arrival to the desert, whether it be for his coach-like feel on the field or his methodical approach off of it.

McCoy was set to enter his 13th NFL season with a career passing percentage of 62.6%. In his two years with Arizona, the signal caller has a 3-3 mark as a starter to go along with 1,520 passing yards and four touchdowns on a 71% completion rate.

But the trade on Thursday to acquire Dobbs indicated the quarterback room would be seeing a shakeup. Dobbs was acquired in a trade package with the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick.

The QB has just two starts and eight total games played under his belt but has built-in familiarity with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork from their time together in Cleveland last year.

He also knows general manager Monti Ossenfort from his time with the Tennessee Titans late last season.

For his career, Dobbs is a 58.8% passer with 456 yards and two touchdowns to three interceptions.

Tune meanwhile looks to continue his progression as an NFL quarterback.

The 2023 fifth-round pick got an extended look in preseason action and worked mostly with the second team all training camp, in addition to some run with the first team.

In his final exhibition showing, he completed 9 of 12 passes for 85 yards before making way for Blough.

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