Arizona Cardinals Shockingly Cut Quarterback Colt McCoy

The Arizona Cardinals will debut a startling new face at quarterback in Week 1. The team made longtime backup quarterback Colt McCoy, the presumed starter to open the season, a surprise release on Monday afternoon.

And now the Cardinals have released veteran QB Colt McCoy, per league sources.

Either veteran Josh Dobbs, whom Arizona acquired last week, or rookie fifth-round pick QB Clayton Tune will start opening day at Washington.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 28, 2023

McCoy has made six starts for the Cardinals over the past two years in relief of QB1 Kyler Murray, compiling a 3-3 record while throwing for 1520 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. The veteran was one of the steadiest, most established backups in the NFL, making 56 appearances since joining the league as a third-round pick in 2010.

Given Murray is still recovering from a December ACL tear, McCoy was widely expected to hold down the fort in the coming weeks. Instead, the Cardinals will turn to either recently acquired veteran quarterback Josh Dobbs, who lost two starts for the Tennessee Titans last season, or rookie fifth-round pick Clayton Tune, who passed for 11994 yards and 104 touchdowns over five prolific years at Houston.

It's a peculiar move by the Cardinals, particularly given that Murray will miss at least the first four weeks of the season as he remains on the reserve/PUP list. It's possible the Cardinals have been blown away by what they've seen from Dobbs or Tune in training camp, but it's just as likely that they're conceding that the 2023 season will be a lost one. If the Cardinals intend to embrace the tank, they're better off with a backup quarterback who won't accidentally win them any games.