Cardinals’ Joshua Dobbs keeping same mentality as Kyler Murray return looms
Oct 19, 2023, 12:41 PM
TEMPE — It was always a matter of when, not if Kyler Murray was going to return to his place as the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback.
His return to practice this week made it that much clearer, with all indications pointing to Murray regaining his spot in the lineup by Week 10 at the latest.
For current starter Joshua Dobbs, that means his days as Arizona’s lead man under center are numbered, an inevitable circumstance given his position.
But even with his role on the team just weeks away from changing completely, the QB’s mentality hasn’t wavered.
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“It doesn’t change my approach at all,” Dobbs said Wednesday. “It was great having K1 out there and seeing him running around and everything — slinging it — but it doesn’t change my approach at all. … As we know and have talked about, I’ve seen every side of this quarterback thing. My approach never changes no matter what.
“I come in, work hard, prepare, get ready if I’m starting of course, but prepare as I am the starter and then if I’m not the starter preparing as if I’m going to start. … It was great to have him back out there and again, we’re excited to prepare for our next opportunity.”
Getting Murray back on the field is a big step in the right direction in his return to live NFL action. That doesn’t mean, however, that he’s ready to immediately jump back into the mix against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7.
Arizona has taken a measured approach when it comes to Murray and it isn’t about to toss that thinking to the wayside now that he can practice again.
And aside from Dobb’s recent regression the past two games — sub-50% accuracy for 401 yards, two touchdowns and five turnovers — the signal caller has held his own after joining the team days before the regular season via trade.
So until that organizational sign-off comes down the wire, Dobbs will continue to garner the rock and the trust of his coaching staff.
“He’s going to go out and play real well versus Seattle, I know that,” Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday.
“The type of person he is and his response to what we all have to do as a team to improve to win some games,” the head coach added when asked why he felt confident in Dobbs against the Seahawks.
