Underestimate Kyler Murray all you want, he loves it.
CBS Sports’ Will Brinson took his ratings down in the middle on Thursday and, somewhat surprisingly, put Murray in the sixth row, just one off the bottom.
“I love him,” Murray said he said in a tweet on Thursday in response to his low standing.
While the Arizona QB was selected first overall in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cardinals, an injury-plagued season derailed the high expectations placed on Murray entering the league.
A two-time Pro Bowler, he tore his ACL in December 2022 in a Week 12 game against the Patriots and had surgery on January 3.
It is estimated that it will take eight months to a year for the ACL to recover.
Murray is expected to return to the field in 2023, but AZ hasn’t clarified the exact schedule.
“The Cardinals’ star quarterback is in the midst of recovering from the ACL, and is seeking to return to action as soon as possible, according to a source familiar with the situation,” said Cardinals quarterback Kyle Odegaard, according to Sports Illustrated.
“However, the new Arizona coaching staff has been trying to manage these expectations, intent on taking a calculated approach to ensure there is a low chance of re-injury.”
Prior to the injury, Murray had thrown for 2,368 yards and 14 touchdowns in 11 games played in the 2022 season.
Brinson’s sixth grade rating — which the group called “No Clue, Man” — to Murray caused uncertainty about the 2020 offensive rookie for the upcoming season on a squad in the early stages of rebuilding.
“Kyler can go anywhere on this list and it can also be his own level because I can’t begin to guess how well he will play in 2023, let alone how well he will play next season,” Brinson said.
“The cards might well sit him knowing they want to move on next year after a full tank set.”
Murray doesn’t seem to care about the noise, instead, using it as fuel for his comeback performance.
The Cardinals open the 2023 NFL season on September 10 against the Chiefs.
