Arizona Cardinals fans know that quarterback Kyler Murray, who turns 27 on August 7, is their QB1. Coach Jonathan Gannon is holding him out of all preseason games because he believes he can be prepared for Week 1 without playing in them.
A benefit of sidelining Murray will be to allow the “healthy competition” between Desmond Ridder and Clayton Tune to play out for the QB2 position.
“They know it’s going to be a healthy competition.”
Arizona Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon says Desmond Ridder and Clayton Tune are prepared to see 1st, 2nd and 3rd team reps during the battle for backup quarterback. pic.twitter.com/FYog0RpBqG
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) July 25, 2024
Ridder, 24, is the younger of the two quarterbacks but the most experienced. Drafted 74th in the 2022 NFL Draft, he spent the last two seasons in Atlanta where he started in 17 games and has an 8-9 record. Ridder has completed 322 passes in his NFL career. Tune was drafted by the Cardinals in 2023 with the 139th overall pick. He has completed 12 NFL passes.
With Kyler Murray not playing in the preseason, Desmond Ridder and Clayton Tune will play a lot. On very early depth chart, Ridder is No. 2, but asked about the battle for the job, Jonathan Gannon said, “Good competition between those two. They’re both doing a good job.”
— Howard Balzer (@HBalzer721) August 6, 2024
Experience would seemingly render Ridder the QB2 designation, but a final decision is yet to be made. Gannon is not tipping his hand and has maintained that both are doing “a good job” in camp.
