The energy was palpable at Saturday’s Red & White practice, as fans took to State Farm Stadium to get their eyes on the Arizona Cardinals in Year 3 under coach Jonathan Gannon. While rookies and newly acquired talent were under a tight lens, all eyes were firmly on quarterback Kyler Murray, who’s entering his seventh NFL season.
Israel Woolfork is entering his third season working directly with Murray as quarterbacks coach, and he sees the evolution of the signal caller.
“I think you’re going to see a consistent product on the field,” Woolfork said Thursday on Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke. “How we come to work every day, how we are in the huddle, out on the field, just the little things, just be correct. … We need Kyler Murray to be Kyler Murray. Nobody else.”
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Murray’s dynamic run game is a part of that consistency battle. In 2024, he registered 78 carries for 572 yards (7.3 per carry). He had seven games of four carries or fewer.
Woolfork didn’t imply that Murray has to match the level of Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson — 139 carries in 2024 — but that Murray needs to be on the offensive.
“Obviously, we want to put him in a situation where he can use his ability to run,” Woolfork said. “If the defense is showing us looks where he can have the ball in his hand, for sure, we’re going to do that. … We have to put him in situations where he can be special, whether it’s using his legs or making impromptu plays.
“And that’s one of the keys we looked into this offseason, him creating more off-schedule (plays) and just being more in tune with it.”
Israel Woolfork on Murray within Cardinals’ passing game
On the air-raid side of things, Murray will have a bulkier Marvin Harrison Jr. and improved Trey McBride as targets. As Harrison was getting his feet wet for much of his rookie campaign, Murray favored McBride (147 targets to Harrison’s 116) but Woolfork knows that a strong bond between quarterbacks and pass catchers takes time to develop.
“I think those guys continue to get on the same page with stuff. I think the communication is really good right now,” Woolfork said. “It could be things that Marv sees that, ‘Hey, Kyler, I was thinking this on this route. Can you put the ball here?’ or ‘Hey, I had to speed up and I had to throw the ball here based on a coverage and pressure.’ So those guys are comfortable with each other.”
A contributor to that growing chemistry between Murray and Harrison now evident on the field was a Murray-led trip to USC in early July. McBride and fellow tight end Elijah Higgins also tagged along to get in some extra work before the official team proceedings got underway.
Interceptions have been an early issue that Murray is working through — rookie cornerback Will Johnson grabbed one on Saturday — but Woolfork said the offense as a whole is “right on par” with expectations.
“Things are going to happen, that’s why we practice,” Woolfork said.
Murray had 11 picks in his 17 starts last season, but had five in a critical three-game stretch from Week 12 to 14.
Rookie Cody Simon bringing ‘instincts’ to inside linebacker room
Unlike the experienced Murray, Cardinals rookie inside linebacker Cody Simon carries no burden of expectation. He said earning a green dot and commanding his positional group is a welcome challenge but he’s just trying to be a “smarter” player.
“I’m not really worried about where my position is as of right now,” Simon said Thursday. “It’s not just having the confidence in myself, it’s the coach having confidence in me.”
Having fellow Ohio State Buckeyes like Harrison and offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. has been a “culture” help for Simon, as his “welcome to the NFL” moment may just be a few short weeks away.
While he waits for that moment, Simon is savoring why he plays football in the first place.
“It’s being the man in the arena,” Simon said. “Like it’s very nerve-wracking, it’s very anxiety-producing, but when you can be the person on the field who’s doing the hard things, I think I take pride in that.”
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