On Monday, the Arizona Cardinals released former Winnipeg quarterback Chris Streveler. Streveler had been with the team since 2020, but saw limited action on the field.
In 7 career games, Streveler has completed 17 of 25 passes for 141 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Additionally, he has 7 rushes for 21 yards. Streveler never developed into the Taysom Hill-type of player that many thought he would be in the NFL, and ironically, Hill recently signed a multi-million dollar extension with the New Orleans Saints.
Although Streveler’s release wasn’t too surprising, the corresponding roster move certainly turned a few heads. The Cardinals signed Trace McSorley off the Ravens’ practice squad and put him on their active roster. The former Penn State product, who had been with the Ravens since 2019, has even less playing time in the league than the man he replaced. Arizona was one of the few teams to have three active quarterbacks, so once Streveler was gone, it was generally thought that the open spot would go to another position of need.
With the acquisition of McSorley, many started to wonder if Kyler Murray’s injury was more severe than originally thought. The third-year signal-caller from Oklahoma has missed the past three games, but is expected to return after Arizona’s bye week. There weren’t any reports of a setback in Murray’s recovery, likely meaning that the Cardinals just feel more comfortable having three quarterbacks. However, this conflicts with a statement from head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who said that Streveler was showing a lot of promise in his development. It’s still unclear why the team decided to part ways, but a good guess is that they liked McSorley more as a passer.
As for Streveler, he’ll look to find a new team over the next few days. It’s unlikely that he’ll be put on an active roster (not right away at least), so a practice squad spot seems imminent. However, since there’s no restrictions in place, a return to the CFL is also an option. The Blue Bombers are currently favorites to win the Grey Cup again, and Streveler’s skill set could help make that a reality.
