Kyler Murray isn’t practicing, and he won’t play for awhile into the season as he continues his rehab from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
But the Cardinals have a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator and a new offense that the quarterback will have to learn without practicing.
On the first day of organized team activities, Murray shadowed offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and took mental reps as Colt McCoy, David Blough and rookie Clayton Tune took the physical reps.
“Kyler, obviously he’s going through the rehab process,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said, via video from Bo Brack of PHX_Cardinals. “He wants to be out there [participating]; I know that. He’s fully engaged with everything we’re doing. I saw him making the reads out there behind the offense. When the guys see your trigger guy out there, it matters, so he’s done everything and more that we’ve wanted him to do. Excited for him where he’s at.”
Murray underwent surgery Jan. 3, and he has attacked his rehab since.
He now is on the field with teammates, staying engaged, even if he can’t participate physically yet.
‘“It shows that he cares, cares about us getting better as a team, learning the offense and the mental reps he gets as well, even though he can’t physically be a part of it,” receiver Zach Pascal said, via video from Brack. “But he can get those mental reps, and that trickles down throughout the whole team.”