Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Larry Fitzgerald Praises Kyler Murray's 'Crazy' Command of Cardinals Offense

Tyler Conway

After languishing through two straight seasons of arguably the NFL's worst quarterback play, Larry Fitzgerald appears thrilled to be playing alongside Kyler Murray.

The future Hall of Famer raved about the rookie quarterback to former teammate Kurt Warner on Sunday's episode of Inside Training Camp Live:

"I've never seen a quarterback come in so quickly and be able to command an offense. I mean, from Day 1, he's out there checking the different plays, sliding the line, different protections, getting us in screens when blitzes are coming. His understanding of the offense is crazy.

"I think that's going to give us a great advantage, to play fast from the first preseason game all the way to the start of the regular season and giving him the keys to the car and letting him is going to be great for us."

Murray entered camp as the Cardinals' starting quarterback after being the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft. His only backup with NFL experience is Brett Hundley, who is no threat to the starting job, and it appears the unquestioned nature of Murray's status has given him comfort within the locker room.

Fitzgerald's comments are an obvious bit of teammate-speak, but it's a promising sign that Murray is putting his stamp on the offense. That level of confidence can be infectious to a young team, and having Fitz's support will go a long way to giving Murray's voice weight.

The real test won't come until September when Murray takes the field for the first time as an NFL starting quarterback. Even the preseason can only provide a slight snapshot of Murray's capabilities, and performances in the exhibition season rarely have any bearing on regular-season performances.

Then again, here is what Fitzgerald said about Josh Rosen last October.

"This is his team," Fitzgerald told Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. "He'll be the guy here for the next 10-plus years, God willing. I love the way he's kind of taken the reins, is vocal, lets people know exactly what he wants. He wants the best out of everybody."

Fitzgerald and Rosen maintained a close relationship during their one year as teammates, and Rosen even showed up to his former wideout's softball game after being traded this offseason. But Fitzgerald's quotes less than a year apart show how quickly things can change in the NFL.

   

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