As the Arizona Cardinals are in training camp, one of the more notable roster and position battles is at quarterback — well, at the backup quarterback position behind Kyler Murray, who is very clearly the starter.
It is between Desmond Ridder, acquired via trade in the offseason, and Clayton Tune, drafted in the fifth round a year ago and who was the backup in 2023.
Ridder has 17 games of starting experience in two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and has very average numbers — an 8-9 record with 14 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions.
Tune started one game as a rookie and it was horrendous — 0 points, 62 yards, two interceptions, seven sacks.
How has the competition been?
“They’ve both been good,” head coach Jonathan Gannon on Thursday. “(QB coach Israel Woolfork) has done a good job with those guys and they know it’s a healthy competition that’s going to be competitive for the two-three spot.”
Gannon referred to both of them as “mature, self-aware, consistent guys.”
There is a plan in place for giving them reps with the first, second and third-team offense.
But the quarterback battle isn’t just a battle for who is the backup. It is also a battle to be on the roster for the third quarterback.
The Cardinals only kept two quarterbacks on the active roster all last season. A third — Jeff Driskel — was on the practice squad.
But whether they keep two or three is not so much a battle with each other. It is a battle with other players on the roster.
“There’s a trickle-down effect to the entire roster that that affects, so in essence we talked about competing for your role,” Gannon explained. “OK, so I’m a DB and I’m competing vs. these other DBs. I’m also competing against that receiver, that tight end, that back because what you do on game day and all three phases applies to that and it’s a reality in the NFL and our guys know that.
“It sounds harsh as I said that, but it’s the reality.”
So while there will be a competition between Ridder and Tune for the No. 2 spot, each is also battling to make the team over another player at another position if he is going to be QB3.
Gannon didn’t give any clues as to whether Ridder or Tune leads the competition.
That will be determined in the weeks to come.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
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