The Arizona Cardinals‘ quarterback situation remains unclear with just two weeks to go until the start of the 2023 NFL season. With Kyler Murray set to miss most — if not all — of the forthcoming season as he recovers from a knee injury, Arizona has spent the preseason adding to its quarterback room to compensate for Murray‘s unexpected absence.
On Thursday, general manager Monti Ossenfort added another signal-caller to the mix, making a trade with the Cleveland Browns for Joshua Dobbs. The Cardinals dealt a late-round 2024 pick to the Browns in exchange for the well-traveled veteran, who was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017.
Arizona yet to name its starting QB
Murray‘s ligament tear last December changed the Cardinals‘ trajectory for 2023. Backup Colt McCoy, a 14-year veteran, has been in the conversation as Arizona‘s new quarterback, as has former Detroit LionDavid Blough, who signed with the team after Murray went down. Offseason addition Jeff Driskel, an eight-year veteran, also remains on the roster.
Dobbs‘ addition gives the Cardinals’ coaching staff another decision to make. The 28-year-old was in line to back up Deshaun Watson in Cleveland, but he might be poised to take the reins of the Arizona offense sooner than later. Ossenfort knows him from their time together in Tennessee, while Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing worked with Dobbs in Cleveland.
Dobbs during Tennessee’s decisive Week 17 game in Jacksonville.
Cardinals collecting draft capital
The Cardinals acquired another draft pick via the Dobbs trade, as the plan for 2023 and 2024 takes shape for Arizona‘s front office.
A busy Thursday saw the Cardinals add picks for the 2024 draft, where Arizona is expected to have two high picks — one based on their expected win-loss record, and the other based on the Houston Texans‘ win-loss record. A top selection could put the Cardinals in a position to add USC‘s quarterback phenom Caleb Williams as Murray‘s long-term replacement, should Ossenfort and new head coach Jonathan Gannon elect to go in another direction.
