Cardinals to start QB Clayton Tune against Browns on Sunday if Kyler Murray is not ready to return

The Cardinals are changing course under center.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters that rookie quarterback Clayton Tune — not Joshua Dobbs — will start in Arizona’s Week 9 tilt against the Browns should Kyler Murray not be ready to return from his torn ACL suffered last year. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Tune is indeed expected to make his first career start with Murray likely another week away.

Murray was a full participant in practice last week, but listed as doubtful and not activated for the team’s 31-24 defeat to the Ravens.

“We’re going to keep ramping up Kyler and see how he progresses throughout the week,” Gannon said Monday. “If it’s not Kyler, then it’s going to be Clayton Tune. I talked to all three quarterbacks, and on the same page with how we’re going to operate moving forward. Look forward to having a good week of prep. Cleveland, two-day trip, try to go get a win.”

This is a reversal from what Gannon said following Arizona’s loss against Baltimore, its fifth straight, when he claimed Dobbs would hold down the interim starting role while Murray continues to work his way off the physically unable to perform list.

That puts Tune, a fifth-rounder, in line to lead the Cards, who have scored a lone upset against the Cowboys but otherwise dropped seven of their first eight out of the gate.

They’ve been a pugnacious bunch, far harder to put away in most weeks than expected. In the first month of the season, much of that plucky underdog status was earned thanks to Dobbs delivering sturdy performances after coming to Arizona by way of trade on Aug. 24.

The journeyman completed 70.7% of his passes for 814 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions through Week 4. He did fumble three times in the season opener, a precursor to his ball security issues as he’s now put the ball on the turf in five straight. And interceptions have become a problem, as well, with five spread across the last four games.

Despite the downtick in performance, his benching comes as somewhat of a surprise considering Gannon’s vote of confidence less than 24 hours ago. It also generates a degree of intrigue a day ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

Dobbs’ trip to the bench comes before a matchup with the the team that shipped him to the Cardinals in the first place. The Browns made that trade after Dobbs initially won the No. 2 job behind Deshaun Watson and Cleveland announced it would waive Kellen Mond. Instead, the Browns made a reversal of their own by moving Dobbs, naming rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson their No. 2 and keeping Mond for a while longer.

This demotion months later could be as simple as trying to find a spark, but several teams across the league saw injuries at the quarterback position on Sunday and could be evaluating their backup plans before the door slams shut on trades.

Regardless, what is certain is that the 1-7 Cardinals are making a change until their true QB1 is fully ready for action.

Unless Murray returns in Week 9, they’ll be marching to Clayton’s tune.