The Arizona Cardinals are already struggling in the season with a 2-3 start after 5 weeks. But things have become more serious after starter Kyler Murray injured his foot against the Titans in the third quarter. Though he finished the game in a 21-22 loss, the Cardinals’ QB didn’t fully practice this week.

As per the NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Murray is dealing with a mid-foot sprain, a version of a Lisfranc injury. So, Arizona has postponed the final decision till Sunday morning for the Week 6 game against the Colts. He missed Wednesday and Thursday practices and only practiced a little on Friday, October 10. The team is unsure if he will be able to play and listed him as questionable. That’s a major blow!

This season, Murray has played well. He has completed 68.3% of his passes for 962 yards, with six touchdowns and three interceptions in five games. He has also rushed for 173 yards and one touchdown, showing he can make plays with both his arm and his legs. Murray’s ability to move and extend plays has been important for the Cardinals’ offense, which has struggled at times this year.

His leadership is also key. He keeps the team competitive in close games. If he can’t play, it will be a big loss for both the passing and running game. The Cardinals are 2–3 and need a win to stay in the playoff race. Murray hasn’t missed a game since sitting out the first nine weeks of the 2023 season while recovering from an ACL injury.

The team is hoping he can play, but they are being careful to protect him.

Cardinals are ready with Kyler Murray’s replacement

In the meantime, they are preparing veteran Jacoby Brissett in case Murray is out. He had a lot more practice than the starter. Kedon Slovis will be the backup.

Brissett, 32, has 53 career starts, including 30 with the Colts from 2017 to 2020. He has taken most of the first-team reps in practice this week and brings experience and steady play to the team. Brissett isn’t as mobile as Murray, but he is good at managing the game and protecting the football. Over his career, he has thrown for 11,400 yards and 53 touchdowns. His experience could help the Cardinals stay competitive, especially against his former team, the Colts.

Early in the week, even the head coach Jonathan Gannon praised the veteran. “To know that you’re one play away from your role changing, you really do got to be on the details like you’re the starter,” Gannon said after Wednesday’s practice. But the then revealed their readiness for the game.

The coach added, “He loves to practice. He loves to play. I was with him the one year in Indy. But he’s a good football player, and he’s a great teammate, really good leader, and if he’s got to play, he’s got to play.”

Slovis, 24, has been promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. He played college football at USC, the Pittsburgh Panthers, and BYU, throwing for over 11,000 career passing yards. He went undrafted in 2024 but has impressed coaches in practice and earned a spot on the roster.

If Brissett starts, Slovis will be his backup and may get some playing time. This is a big opportunity for Slovis to gain NFL experience. Together, Brissett and Slovis give the Cardinals depth at quarterback. But the team would be hoping for a miracle and Murray to come back.