When will Kyler Murray return? Gannon explains what Cardinals want to see first

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray remains on the physically unable to perform list but is eligible to return to practice. And as of Monday afternoon, head coach Jonathan Gannon isn’t ready to activate the starter with the Cardinals sitting at a 1-5 record and a date against the Seattle Seahawks up next.

“(I) like the week that he had and we’ve got to kind of see here, next couple days, see how tonight goes, how tomorrow goes, again, not rushing that,” Gannon told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo. “Making sure that he feels good about going out there. Make sure he’s trending in the right direction.”

What do the Cardinals want to see out of Murray in terms of trends?

“Just to make sure, before the mental gets put on him of playing football, to make sure the physical is right,” Gannon added. “Just all the different things that he does as a player and what he wants to be able to do playing the position, make sure that we can simulate that as much as we can without him being there out there playing football … that he feels comfortable doing everything that he’s going to need to do to function.”

Murray tore his ACL in December and was eligible to be designated to return from the PUP list after four missed games.

The Cardinals have remained coy about his status beyond saying he’s trending in the right direction. But Murray has teased physical improvements with his social media posts.

According to Gannon, the quarterback has been engaged and is mentally prepared.

“But you got to play football, too,” Gannon told Burns & Gambo. “We understand there’s going to be a little bit of learning curve, a new system for him. He hasn’t taken a snap in this offense. I like the plan with kind of how we have it structured and the work that he’s been putting in during practice, in meetings,  the extra time spent in the morning and the night. I mean, this guy is a competitor. … he puts the work in, I know that.”

Joshua Dobbs has replaced Murray through six games.

Dobbs has completed 63% of his passes for 1,215 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in six starts, while rushing 34 times for 189 yards.

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