Kyler Murray Returning Great News For Patriots’ NFL Draft Hopes

The Patriots are one of the worst teams in the league, but they probably will need some lucky breaks if they want to land a top three pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Well, help could be on the way in Arizona.

The Cardinals plan to start quarterback Kyler Murray in this Sunday's home game against the Atlanta Falcons, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon. Murray, who suffered a torn ACL last December while playing against New England, was activated off injured reserve Wednesday.

That could be both good and bad news for Arizona, which currently is 1-8 and owns the No. 1 pick in the draft. Murray should give the Cardinals a better chance of winning despite having the seventh-toughest remaining schedule, but Arizona's front office probably would rather lose games and keep a high draft pick. Few people would take Murray over Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, after all.

It's a difficult tanking needle to thread. If the Cardinals internally are set on taking a quarterback early in the draft, then they also are prepared to move on from Murray, who was the top pick in 2019. But they must maximize the return for a 26-year-old two-time Pro Bowler, and the only way to do that is to play Murray and hope he impresses potential trade suitors. The risk of Murray regaining his prior form and winning too many games is one they must take.

However, the payoff could be immense for the 2-7 Patriots, who currently own the fifth pick in the draft.

Here's the top 10 draft order through nine weeks:

1. Arizona Cardinals (1-7)
2. Chicago Bears (via 1-7 Carolina Panthers)
3. Chicago Bears (2-7)
4. New York Giants (2-7)
5. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-7)
6. Los Angeles Rams (3-6)
7. Green Bay Packers (3-5)
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)
9. Denver Broncos (3-5)
10. Tennessee Titans (3-5)

Obviously, there's a chance the Patriots land a top three pick simply by being terrible and losing more games. That's worked for them so far.

But a more realistic path would be to watch Murray lead the Cardinals to a few more wins and hope one of the Bears' two first-round picks loses value. One is guaranteed to take a hit this week, as Chicago will host Carolina on Thursday night.

As for the Giants, there doesn't appear to be much hope for them turning things around. With quarterback Daniel Jones done for the season due to a torn ACL, New York might not win another game. Even the Patriots should be able to beat them when they meet at MetLife Stadium in a few weeks.

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There also are two fringe scenarios to consider. Both are unlikely, but they're worth touching on.

It wasn't long ago that Murray was considered one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. Yes, the injury history is a concern, as is his questionable commitment to football, but his talent is undeniable. Perhaps Murray, who's signed through 2028 on big money, plays well and convinces the Cardinals to keep him as their franchise quarterback. Maybe the Cardinals continue to lose games anyway, because, you know, they stink. The door then could open for the Patriots to trade with Arizona for a higher draft pick, potentially one that could net them Maye or Williams.

The other scenario: trading for Murray. He doesn't seem like New England's kind of quarterback, but if the Patriots can't draft one of the top QB prospects, what better options would they have in upgrading from Mac Jones? Quarterbacks with Murray's talent don't hit the trade market often, and New England at least would need to think about it.

No matter which way you slice it, Murray being back under center in Arizona is a positive development for the Patriots.