Next week, things could get complicated for Brian Schottenheimer. The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up to face the Arizona Cardinals, and on paper, it might look easy. After all, Arizona’s sitting at 2-5. But that record doesn’t tell the full story. If Kyler Murray suits up, the entire dynamic changes. But before Murray, there’s another threat waiting to test Dallas’ defense. And Schottenheimer knows it.

Recently on Cowboys Huddle, he broke it down, highlighting exactly who the Cowboys have to watch out for. That guy, of course, is Trey McBride.

“He gives you a lot of problems. Again, he runs all the routes that tight ends run, but also all the routes that receivers run. He’s really, really shifty. When you play him man-to-man, he does a great job of kind of pushing off and creating separation that way. But we’ll have a lot of eyes on him. And we kind of call it APB, all points bulleted on the guy, because he’s a terrific player.”

So now, the mission is clear—take McBride out of the equation. Easier said than done, though. He’s been a problem for everyone this season. With 421 receiving yards, McBride ranks fourth among tight ends, and he’s already found the end zone four times. He’s not built like the others Dallas has faced.

What makes him even more dangerous is that he’s not just a pass-catcher. He’s a complete player. McBride can block and open lanes in the run game. Arizona’s averaging 110.4 rushing yards per game without James Conner, their top back. That’s impressive. And it gets worse for Dallas. This year, their defense has already surrendered 46 catches to tight ends for 415 yards and two scores.

But here’s the catch: if the Cowboys over-commit to stopping McBride, they’ll leave themselves open elsewhere. Brian Schottenheimer said it best: “But if you send too much attention his way, then that means you’re not keeping eyes on the quarterback.”

And that brings it all back to the big question. Will that quarterback be Kyler Murray?

Kyler Murray’s injury status remains uncertain

Many reports said that Murray will be back to face Brian Schottenheimer’s Cowboys. But things aren’t that simple. Murray has been listed as a limited participant in both of the Cardinals’ practices. And reporter Jess Root pointed out, the situation might not be as clear as it sounds.

He noted that “in the part of practice reporters can see and report on, both Murray and Jacoby Brissett were getting practice reps, but Brissett was mainly working with the starting receivers, while Murray was throwing to the backups like Simi Fehoko and Xavier Weaver.”

That detail changes things. If Brissett is taking reps with the starters, what does that really say about Murray’s status?

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Maybe the simplest answer is: Murray isn’t fully healthy yet. His foot might still be holding him back, and HC Jonathan Gannon has already made it clear that “when Murray is healthy enough to play, he will play.”

Of course, there’s also the chance that Murray could be benched. Still, there’s one more angle to consider. Maybe the coaching staff likes what they’ve seen from Brissett. He’s steady, experienced, and could give them a safer option while Murray heals. But for now, everything’s guesswork.