Rookie Clayton Tune has the chance to be the Cardinals’ starting QB over veteran Colt McCoy

Clayton Tune Cardinals pic
Clayton Tune Cardinals pic

In 2022, Kyler Murray played 11 games for the Arizona Cardinals. Sadly, he tore his ACL late in the season and had to have surgery to repair his knee. With the injury happening in the second half of the season, Murray will not be ready to go for Week 1 of 2023. 

That leaves an open QB competition with the Cardinals for the time being. NFL veteran Colt McCoy is currently playing for his fifth team and has proved to be a solid backup. Going up against McCoy is rookie QB Clayton Tune out of Houston. He was a fifth-round pick by the Cardinals in 2023.

Will Clayton Tune or Colt McCoy begin the season as a starter for the Arizona Cardinals?


Colt McCoy is a seasoned NFL QB at the age of 36. He’s played in 56 games over his 12-year career and has made 36 starts. While McCoy could be a serviceable QB for the Cardinals, they may have a bigger picture in mind. The Cardinals traded away their 2023 first-round pick to the Texans and got a 2024 first-round pick in return.

Arizona and Houston are both (+20000) on NFL betting sites to win the Super Bowl next season. After a 3-13-1 season in 2022, the Texans had the second overall pick. They took QB C.J. Stroud who will likely be the team’s starter by the time Week 1 rolls around. Stroud is a talented QB, but chances are that the Texans don’t have another strong season. Wherever they finish in the draft order, the Cardinals will have that pick.


Additionally, if the Cardinals want to ensure having at least one top draft pick, they could start Clayton Tune this season. The Cardinals currently have the 22nd hardest strength of schedule next season out of 32 teams. Tune is a 24-year-old rookie QB who had a lot of success in college. He’ll get his first chance to play in the pre-season and that could determine if he’s a starter or not in 2023.

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