Report: Cardinals' Clayton Tune Expected to Start vs. Browns; Kyler Murray May Play

The Josh Dobbs era has come to an end in the desert.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Clayton Tune is expected to start against the Cleveland Browns in Week 9, though there's a chance Kyler Murray could also play.

This comes after Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters Monday that it would be Tune or Murray would start over Dobbs against the Browns, via Bo Brack of PHNX Sports.

Murray has an outside shot to return as the two-time Pro Bowl signal-caller is working his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in 2022. However, per Rapoport, it's more likely that Murray will make his season debut in Week 10.

Arizona has lost five consecutive games, including a 31-24 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Dobbs struggled against Baltimore's secondary, throwing for just 208 yards and two touchdowns to go along with two interceptions.

This included a third-quarter pass that was picked off by safety Geno Stone, setting the Ravens up just outside the Cardinals' red zone. Baltimore scored a touchdown to increase its lead to 21-7, then cruised to a win that wasn't as close as the final score indicates.

The 28-year-old has thrown five interceptions in his past four appearances.

Following the Ravens loss, Gannon initially told reporters that Dobbs would start against Cleveland (per ESPN's Adam Schefter).

Evidently, he's changed his mind. Barring an unexpected return from Murray. the Cardinals' new starter is Tune, a rookie who was a fifth-round pick.

Tune spent his college days at Houston, completing 67.3 percent of his passes for 4,074 yards and 40 touchdowns in 2022. Each one of those marks were the highest among all American Athletic Conference quarterbacks.

In the preseason, Tune recorded 353 passing yards while throwing one touchdown and one interception.

He'll be in for a challenge during Week 9's contest, as the Browns are allowing just 163.3 passing yards per game this season. That's the best mark in the NFL.