With Kyler Murray expected to miss a large chunk of the 2023 NFL season with a torn ACL, the Arizona Cardinals quarterback job is wide open for the time being. Before the draft, I had mocked the Cardinals to take Houston Quarterback Clayton Tune in the 6th Round. The Cardinals did go on to select Tune, but in the 4th round rather than the 6th.
I said it in my mock draft, Clayton Tune can be a solid backup for this Cardinals team. His touchdown to interception ratio is on par with Kyler Murray’s coming out of college and Tune was one of the most experienced starters coming out of the draft. He was a four year starter for the Cougars and easily one of the best to walk through the campus’ doors. However, Tune’s lack of consistency is one of his main flaws leading to his slide in the draft. While I had him going in the 6th round, picking him in the 4th round may turn out to be a steal in the long run.
Will Clayton Tune Start Week 1?
While there is no definitive answer right now, Tune’s training camp play has the rookie pointing towards making a Week 1 start. NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal made it known that Tune has chance at starting this season.
With there being at least a chance Tune starts week 1, I ultimately believe he plays his way into the starting role this preseason.
Is Clayton Tune Ready?
As stated prior, Tune was a four-year starter at the University of Houston, so he has plenty of starting experience. Where he really needs help is his consistency making accurate throws along with having good footwork, something a good coaching staff can improve. However, this Cardinals coaching staff is still completely fresh. All they need to do is keep the young quarterback out of trouble. As a 4th round rookie, it’s obvious Tune will make mistakes, some that may even seem downright silly sometimes, but it’s all a part of the process.
New offensive coordinator Drew Petzing just needs to keep things simple for Tune. They have to prioritize gaining small chunks of yardage so Arizona isn’t constantly reaching third and forever, something they did many times last year. They need to focus on the run and allow Tune to throw in short yardage situations. Keeping him comfortable is they key, as evidenced by his numbers at Houston.
The coaching staff has displayed their confidence. Head Coach Jonathan Gannon said “I like that he plays fast, he has command when he walks into the huddle, and you see the arm talent.”
Teammate Marquise Brown also had some positive statements on the young quarterback, noting that he has eliminated his spring mistakes and continued to get better.
Something Different
With everything on the table, I don’t see why Clayton Tune wouldn’t start. Arizona knows exactly what they have in Colt McCoy, he has been the team’s backup for years. They won’t go far with him at the helm. Tune gives them a chance to opt for someone different that could maybe provide a spark this team will need. While they still might not be competitive, Arizona will at least know what they have. Tune and the Cardinals won’t set the world on fire, but the pair can help each other this season. At the very least, I expect Tune to start a few games in Kyler Murray’s absence and make his name known, but I don’t think he will have a Brock Purdy level rise. It will take time for Tune to develop but with some fine tuning, he can absolutely be something in the NFL.
Mason Wood is a writer and editor for Back Sports Page based out of Gilbert, Arizona. Mason mainly works on football and motorsports content. He is a co-host of The Outside Line Podcast. You can check out more articles by Mason Wood here!
