Arizona Cardinals' QB Kyler Murray Given Shocking Ranking

The Arizona Cardinals' signal-caller is still being slept on.

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

It's undeniable that Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray is entering an important year in 2025.

The extent to which he is truly under pressure is unknown, although a successful (or unsuccessful) season could ultimately define his legacy and the direction he goes with the franchise.

Most are in agreement that Murray is not worthy of being listed among the NFL's elite passers as of right now, but his talent is often slept on.

The likely balance is somewhere in between, but his ceiling remains high, if he can curtail some of his late-season slumps.

According to Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame, Murray has something to prove in 2025.

Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray Given Surprise Ranking

Verderame listed out all 32 NFL QBs, ranking them in tiers and 1-32. Murray was placed 18th overall, in the "something to prove" category.

"Murray was good last year, but if he has a similar campaign, will that be enough to help Arizona into the playoffs?" Verderame wrote.

"In his first healthy season under coordinator Drew Petzing, Murray threw for 3,851 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for 572 yards and another five scores.

"Although the offensive line doesn’t have household names, the unit allowed a 5.2% sack rate, fifth-best in the league. Plenty of that is also due to Murray’s legs, with him scrambling 42 times, eighth-most in the NFL. 

"Surrounded by Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride, 1,000-yard running back James Conner and second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the Cardinals have talent around Murray. If he can stay healthy, he can throw for 4,000 yards for the first time in his career."

Murray didn't produce much volume in the 2024 season, but he quietly performed quite well — until crunch time arrived down the stretch.

He'll need to take the next step in year three of a stable regime, develop more chemistry with weapons like Marvin Harrison Jr., and perhaps even see a less one-dimensional offensive scheme.

Some of those factors are not solely on Murray's shoulders. Football is a team sport, and Arizona won't need Murray to play hero ball in order to win games. That much is a positive.

But fans of the Cardinals know that Murray is capable of playing at near-MVP levels when fully healthy and fully confident. 2025 is the year for that to re-emerge.

It won't be a complete letdown if he assumes more of a game manager role, but he does need to prove he's capable of delivering when his team needs him to the most.