Tag: Clayton Tune

NFL owners approve change to emergency QB rule

The Cardinals will be able to have an emergency QB despite only keeping two QBs on the roster.

Correction: In the original version of the article, it stated that teams could elevate a quarterback to be the emergency quarterback in addition to the two standard elevations. That was incorrect. A team may elevate a quarterback to be the emergency quarterback as part of their allowed two standard elevations. 

The NFL is changing the emergency quarterback rule they established last season. At the annual league meeting in Orlando on Tuesday, owners approved a change that makes it easier for teams to have a third quarterback available for games for emergencies.

Teams will now be able to elevate a quarterback from the practice squad and have him be eligible to be the emergency quarterback.

Following the San Francisco 49ers losing both active quarterbacks to injury in the NFC Championship Game two seasons ago, the league approved a change that would allow a third quarterback on the active roster be designated among the team’s inactive players as the emergency quarterback, eligible to play only in the case of both active quarterbacks being ruled out with injury.

Under last season’s rules, a quarterback on the practice squad and elevated to the active roster for the game was not eligible to receive that emergency QB designation.

Teams will now be permitted to, as part of the two standard elevations from the practice squad each week, can elevate a quarterback to serve as the emergency quarterback.

Unlike the standard elevation rules that allow players to be elevated three times before they must clear waivers, teams can elevate a quarterback unlimited times.

What does this mean?

It likely means that few teams will keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.

The Arizona Cardinals never designated an emergency quarterback last season. They only kept two quarterbacks on the active roster and then had a third on the practice squad.

Under the new rule, they can continue to do this and now be able to elevate the third player for games, include him on the inactive list but allow him to dress for the game for emergency purposes.

As the Cardinals acquired Desmond Ridder this offseason and he is presumed to be the primary backup to Kyler Murray, this new change will likely affect Clayton Tune. If the Cardinals can get Tune to the practice squad, he will at least get to dress each week.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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QB Desmond Ridder already friends with new Cardinals teammate Clayton Tune

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder will be competing with Tune, a friend, for the backup role behind Kyler Murray.

The Arizona Cardinals have a new quarterback on the team in Desmond Ridder, acquired in a trade this week with the Atlanta Falcons for wide receiver Rondale Moore. Ridder does not know Kyler Murray but does already have a friend on the team.

Per a story on the official team site, Ridder is already friends with Clayton Tune, the Cardinals’ backup quarterback last season as a rookie fifth-round pick out of Houston.

Ridder first met Tune last year when Ridder was doing offseason training after his rookie season and Tune was at the same facility training for the Combine and draft. The two also had some mutual connections and faced each other in college when Tune was playing for Houston and Ridder for Cincinnati.

Now they will be competitors. Ridder is definitely favored to win the backup job. Last season, the Cardinals kept only two quarterbacks on the active roster. If that is the plan again in 2024, Ridder and Tune will be battling for a roster spot.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Jonathan Gannon calls Clayton Tune an ideal backup QB

Gannon seems to believe in the rookie fifth-round pick as his current and potentially future backup quarterback.

The Arizona Cardinals have a rookie as their backup quarterback. In many case, that isn’t ideal unless he is being groomed behind a veteran to become a starter.

With Clayton Tune, a fifth-round rookie, that is not the case. He is simply a young quarterback behind Kyler Murray.

Prior to this year, the Cardinals have opted for experience with Colt McCoy and Brett Hundley.

Some would question having such an inexperienced player behind a player like Murray.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon believes Tune has the traits to make an ideal quarterback.

“We have that guy on our team right now,” he told reporters Monday, speaking of Tune. “I would say what jumps out to me is his brain, because when you’re one play away from going in the game and taking minimal rep— really game plan specific reps with four days— you’ve got to be pretty in tune to do that. That’s probably what I would say because those guys don’t get a lot of reps and then to jump in the game and play winning football for you, that’s hard to do. There’s not a lot of positions that—and you have to have them all that do that, but at that position specifically talking to the quarterback, there’s so much on his plate mentally and physically to be able to operate in a level that you can win a game with is hard.”

Tune’s one start this season was bad. It was a 27-0 loss to the Cleveland Browns. He had only 58 passing yards and two picks.

What will be telling is what happens in the offseason. If they really see him as an ideal backup, the Cardinals will not pursue a veteran backup in the offseason.

Are these just words to talk up the backup they have or will their actions back them up?

We will see in the offseason.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Clayton Tune has a new role on offense

It sounds like we can expect him in the game for quarterback sneaks or apparent quarterback sneaks like on Sunday against the Falcons.

After rookie quarterback Clayton Tune made his first career start in Week 9, it appeared that he would quietly move back into an invisible role as backup quarterback who gets no snaps.

After all, Kyler Murray was coming back and, for the first eight games of the season when Josh Dobbs started, he did not log a single offensive snap.

With Murray back, though, Tune appears to have a greater role than he did when Dobbs was the starter.

He played two offensive snaps, lined up twice for what would appear as a “tush push” quarterback sneak, a play in which the quarterback snaps take the snap under center and pushes forward with the help of his teammates in the backfield.

One was the sneak in which Tune scored a touchdown. The other was a fake sneak and toss to James Conner for the first down.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon suggested that Tune will continue to come in for those plays.

“We like the play type with Clayton in there,” Gannon said after the game.  “He’ll continue to have some certain plays up each week and he did a good job executing. That’s not easy to do coming in a game cold and getting a snap and scoring.”

Tune is 6-foot-3 and 220 lbs, making him a little better fit for that quarterback sneak play, as opposed to the 5-foot-10, 207-lb Murray.

With the Cardinals running both types of plays on Sunday, converting on both, teams will have to account for both options.

Tune played terribly in his start against the Cleveland Browns. He was sacked seven times, turned the ball over three times and had only 58 passing yards in a 27-0 loss.

Gannon was impressed with how Tune responded.

“He had a great week of practice — a really good week of practice,” he said. “He came back the right way after getting beat up a little bit, and that’s how coaches and players need to respond when you get beat up a little bit. It shows your true character.”

It would appear that Tune can officially be someone for fans to have on their radar for fantasy and prop bet purposes.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Clayton Tune’s terrible 1st start one of many in Cardinals history

Tune had 58 passing yards, two interceptions and was sacked seven times.

The Arizona Cardinals had things go about as badly as they could on Sunday in rookie quarterback Clayton Tune’s first career start. They were shut out 27-0 by the Cleveland Browns.

Tune was sacked seven times, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. He completed 11-of-20 passes for 58 yards and two picks. He finished with a passer rating of 20.8.

Longtime Cardinals fans should be used to quarterbacks making their first start playing poorly.

Let’s look back at a few of the stinkers.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Browns create another turnover as Sione Takitaki picks off Clayton Tune vs. Cardinals

The Browns are all over Clayton Tune and the Cardinals as Sione Takitaki is the latest to get in on the action

The Cleveland Browns have created their third turnover of the game against the Arizona Cardinals. After cornerback Denzel Ward got the first interception on the day, linebacker Sione Takitaki now gets in on the action, taking advantage of a poor Clayton Tune throw. This puts the Browns back in excellent field position yet again as they already hold a 20-0 lead over the Cardinals.

Tune now sits at 6-of-13 passing with 27 yards and two interceptions on the afternoon against the vaunted Cleveland defense. A tough situation for any rookie, let along a fifth round pick to make a debut in.

Takitaki has been one of the more solid, dependable players for the Browns over the past five seasons since he was drafted in the third round in 2019. Even after suffering a torn ACL late in last season, Takitaki has returned in full force for the Cleveland defense.

He is truly an unsung hero of this defense.

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Browns defense steps up big; Denzel Ward picks off Clayton Tune vs. Cardinals

The Browns are back in business as Denzel Ward comes up with a massive interception of Clayton Tune vs. the Cardinals

The Cleveland Browns are getting the fireworks rolling. After Deshaun Watson hit Amari Cooper for a massive gain to get them on the board first, the defense stepped up big against the Arizona Cardinals. On the next defensive possession, cornerback Denzel Ward came up with a massive interception against rookie quarterback Clayton Tune.

The vaunted Cleveland defense has made the debut of Tune extremely hard on the rookie quarterback. Through the first 25 minutes of this game, Tune sits with just 18 yards on 4-of-7 passing for the Cardinals as they sit with a 10-0 deficit.

There are not many, if any, cornerbacks playing better football than Ward is for the Browns right now. The Cleveland defense has been one of the best in the league, and the play of their Pro Bowl cornerback has been a big reason why. This interception led to a Cleveland touchdown as the Browns moved the football straight down the field.

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Rookie QB Clayton Tune to face impressive Browns defense

The rookie’s first NFL start comes against the league’s No. 1 defense.

The Arizona Cardinals face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in Week 9 and will have fifth-round rookie quarterback Clayton Tune in the starting lineup. Making his first NFL start, he will be immediately tested.

Cleveland’s defense is impressive.

They are No. 1 in total defense, allowing only 260.0 yards per game. They rank No. 1 in pass defense, allowing only 163.3 yards per game and seventh in rushing defense, giving up 96.7 yards per game.

They allow 19.9 points per game, 12th in the league.

They have 20 sacks as a team, led by Myles Garrett’s 8.5, which is fourth in the NFL and 1.5 behind the NFL leader, Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter.

Their passer rating allowed is 78.9, fifth-lowest in the league.

Their rush defense is not elite. They allow 4.0 yards per carry and have allowed seven rushing touchdowns this season.

The Cardinals will need a great showing by Keaontay Ingram and Tony Jones at running back.

Tune will have his work cut out for him.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Who is Arizona Cardinals starting QB Clayton Tune?

Clayton Tune gets the start for the Cardinals against the Browns

Joshua Dobbs is off to Minnesota. Kyler Murray isn’t quite ready. So, the Arizona Cardinals have decided to start Clayton Tune on Sunday against the fierce Cleveland Browns defense.

We can help you name who Tune is in six facts:

  • He played college football at the University of Houston and was a three-year captain.
  • In 2022, Tune was the Manning Academy Air-It-Out winner.
  • Tune threw for 11,994 yards and 104 touchdowns as a Cougar.
  • He was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft.
  • Tune has completed his lone NFL pass for 4 yards.
  • His great-great uncle was Jimmy Lawrence, the fifth pick in the 1936 NFL draft.

Clayton Tune expected to start for Cardinals vs. Browns

Tune will make his first career start in Cleveland for the Cardinals, giving Kyler Murray one more week before he returns.

The Arizona Cardinals did not announce who would be their starting quarterback on Sunday when they take on the Cleveland Browns on the road in Week 9. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said the decision would be made between activating Kyler Murray from PUP and starting him or going with rookie Clayton Tune by Saturday morning.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that Tune is expected to get the start.

This matches what Schefter told ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss on Monday.

Tune will make his first career start. He has played one snap all season, a fake punt pas he completed for four yards.

If Tune starts, Jef Driskel will likely be elevated from the practice squad to be the backup. Murray will likely remain on PUP one final weekend before having to be activated by Wednesday.

It will be a tough game for Tune, who faces the league’s No. 1 defense, one of the league’s best individual pass rushers in Myles Garrett and will be without running backs James Conner and Emari Demercado, tight end Zach Ertz and might be without receiver Michael Wilson.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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