Rapoport: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray May Not Return from Knee Injury Until Mid-Season

The Arizona Cardinals may be without quarterback Kyler Murray until well into the 2023 season as he recovers from ACL surgery and a torn meniscus.

"My understanding is he's going to take his time and make sure this thing is 100 percent right," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported. "He is young, he's got a long career. He's not going to rush. So do not be surprised if we don't see him to start the season or maybe even by the midway point. This injury has to heal perfectly."

Uncertainty was the theme for the Cardinals heading into the offseason after their 4-13 record and last-place finish in the NFC West.

They fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury, general manager Steve Keim resigned and Murray's status was a significant question mark. What's more, Jordan Schultz of the Score reported Arizona will explore potential trades of star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

The team can at least take solace knowing one thing has been addressed, as it hired Tennessee Titans' director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort for the general manager position.

However, it is still in the market for a head coach, and the Murray news makes the job less desirable seeing how he is the franchise quarterback and will be impacted by this injury during the 2023 campaign.

Murray suffered the injury during a Dec. 12 loss to the New England Patriots and was limited to 11 games this season.

He completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 2,368 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding 418 yards and three scores on the ground. The injury and some inconsistent production during the year prevented him from building on his back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances in the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Colt McCoy was Arizona's primary backup, and he remains under contract through 2023.

The Cardinals could turn the offense over to him until Murray is ready, or they could look for another signal-caller in the NFL draft or free agency given the uncertainty surrounding the starter.