Low Ranking is More Than Fair for Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray

Is Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray really ranked as low as he should be?

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

'Tis the season for rankings! We are now in the dog days of summer and the NFL offseason will be reaching a bit of a dry spot for the next two months.

In between that time, we will digest any and all content that we can get our hands on to satisfy our undying urge to consume material that talks about our favorite teams.

We enjoy content surrounding our own beloved franchises, and the Arizona Cardinals are no different -- especially with a potential playoff season on the horizon. That kind of hype will constantly have fans looking for whatever they can find.

But when we find something that stacks up teams/players/coaches or anything else against the entire league, that's what really gets fans going.

Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray Ranked Fairly by Fox Sports

Henry McKenna from Fox Sports put out a power ranking for all 32 starting quarterbacks across the league, or at least who most are projecting to be starters. It's a fresh update that includes Aaron Rodgers signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In his rankings from worst-to-best, Cardinals long-time starting quarterback Kyler Murray found himself rather low on the list -- maybe lower than any fans would appreciate, justify, agree with, etc.

Of 32 (expected) starting quarterbacks, McKenna placed Murray at number 22. I feel like an impending earthquake is inevitable for Murray's biggest fans or Cardinals fans who will simply go to war for their players no matter who they may be.

In his explanation, McKenna had this to say:

"I’m fading on Murray, who has no feel for how and when to use his tremendous talents to tip the scales of a game and generate wins for his team. It’s the Cardinals (who have been bad for a long time), so take this with a grain of salt. But Murray is 36-45-1 in his career."

If there's one thing that we can give credit to as far as McKenna's take is, it's that he didn't say anything outrageous. In a very brief explanation, he said nothing that wasn't truthful or exaggerated regarding Murray.

He has tremendous talents to tip the scales of a game and generate wins, but he hasn't been able to take over and win games the way that one would think he could.

I have said on several occasions that Murray is one of the best pure athletes in all of football. He's got a more than big enough arm and speed and mobility that you can't teach. If it all comes together, he could be unstoppable.

But therein lies the problem... He hasn't done it and now we are entering his seventh season in the pros. It's more than fair to feel like it should've clicked by now, but it simply hasn't, and it gives us more than justifiable criticisms of him.

I feel like McKenna was spot on with his two lone sentences.

I don't know if there's much to add to that, but one thing that is intriguing are some of the guys in front of him.

Directly ahead of him is Caleb Williams followed by Drake Maye. Two of last year's top three drafted quarterbacks have bright futures and likely led to their placement. That feels fair.

Then, Geno Smith checks in at 19, Sam Darnold at 17, and somehow JJ McCarthy at 12.

Even I have reservations about some of those placements... and I know many Cardinals fans will have problems with the list.

For what it's worth, Murray does find himself ahead of this year's number one overall pick Cam Ward (30), Michael Penix (27), Trevor Lawrence (24), and Bryce Young (23). Those guys feel as though they could challenge Murray's placement at 22 based on some of the players ahead and whatever the criteria is to consistently rank guys ahead of each other.

But as a whole, the ranking feels mostly fair if we isolate it from the other 31 quarterbacks and base it on reasoning alone. Murray somehow still has a ton to prove as he enters his seventh professional season. Quite frankly, the way 2025 ends up playing out could determine the next step in his career.

Will nothing change? Could Murray be on a new team in 2026? Is there a way he could sign an extension? There are several possibilities that all of this could shake out for Murray; it's both exciting and terrifying for all parties involved including him, the team, and fans.

But again, the bottom line is Murray needs to step up this year. It's time to use those God-given talents and win football games. With what he possesses by himself, he can will any franchise to wins, and the Cardinals have placed talent around him. It feels like it's now or never.

Is Kyler Murray the 22nd best quarterback in the NFL? I don't think so, but if we are only basing it off his situation and circumstances, then I think it might be more fair than we realize.