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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jess Root

Cardinals anticipate keeping 3 QBs on 53-man roster

The Arizona Cardinals are less than two weeks away from having to make final cuts to get their roster down to 53 players. One position seems pretty set — quarterback.

Kyler Murray is the starter and Colt McCoy is the backup. The question is whether they will carry three quarterbacks on the roster.

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Head coach Kliff Kingsbury believes they will have three on the roster, as they did the last two seasons.

“I’ve always been partial to that just because in this league it seems like it’s hard to get through a season with that starter playing every game,” he told reporters Thursday.

If a team only has two quarterbacks on the roster, then if the starter gets hurt, they have to bring in a player from off the street to be the backup/

“To try and bring a guy in midweek and teach him the offense and do all that, it’s tough and I don’t think it breeds a lot of confidence in your team,” Kingsbury said.

So the question that remains is whether they have a third quarterback on the 53-man roster or one on the practice squad.

It certainly sounds like Trace McSorley is likely going to make the final 53.

“To have a guy that has a rapport with the team and they can feel some level confidence that he knows what he is doing, I think that’s important,” Kingsbury said. “I would imagine that we will have three again this season.”

McSorley has gotten a lot of reps in training camp and will start all three preseason games. He has done well, as has undrafted rookie Jarrett Gurantano.

If they want to save a roster spot, they could cut Guarantano and get him back on the practice squad. McSorley might not clear waivers. So if McSorley wins the third QB job, expect him to be on the roster for the final 53.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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