Cardinals rookie QB Clayton Tune to start at Browns; Kyler Murray waiting game continues

PHOENIX — Rookie quarterback Clayton Tune is in line for his first career NFL start on Sunday in Cleveland against the Browns, with the deadline to activate Kyler Murray having passed Saturday afternoon.

ESPN reported Saturday morning that Tune would get the start against the Browns, and both ESPN and NFL Media reported that Murray would not be activated for Sunday's game prior to the 1 p.m. Phoenix time deadline. Murray is now in line to make his season debut November 12 when the Cardinals host the Atlanta Falcons.

Tune was always the more likely choice for this week, as it became clear that the Cardinals intended to use all three weeks of Murray's practice window before they add him to the active roster. Murray is on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list but finished up his second week of full practices Friday.

Come next week, the Cardinals must make the decision whether to take Murray off that list and make a roster move to add him to the active roster.

Tune, a fifth-round draft pick from Houston, has appeared for just one play in a game since the preseason. But he and practice squad quarterback Jeff Driskel appeared to be ramping things up to play this week in practice, and with the Cardinals needing a backup for Tune, Driskel is set up to be elevated from the practice squad and step into that role.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Driskel knows the Cardinals offense since he was with the team in training camp and was on the practice squad through the first five weeks of the season.

Murray, if added to the 53-man roster next week, would get eight weeks to play and be evaluated as to whether the Cardinals want to stay with him going forward or go a different direction at quarterback after the 2023 season.