Timelines aren't what interest Jonathan Gannon.
The Cardinals coach said as much Tuesday morning about quarterback Kyler Murray, who continues to rehab from his torn ACL. And while he didn't say so directly, he wasn't going to get into what the timing might be on any clarity about the future of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
None of it was a revelation. Gannon's comments during the NFC coaches breakfast during the NFL owners meetings at the Arizona Biltmore echoed his thoughts on both subjects each time they have been broached since he took over.
Hopkins has been the hot topic, a star whose trade potential is tailor-made for the networks here to cover everything NFL. But Gannon, asked about the report the Cardinals have given teams permission to talk to Hopkins in a quest for a deal, wasn't going there.
"Right now, I'm operating under the premise Hop is our starting 'X' (receiver) and people are going to have to defend him," Gannon said. "That's probably a better question for (GM) Monti (Ossenfort) but (Hop) has been great and I am looking forward to working with him. Everyone that has a jersey right now, I look forward to coaching and fitting them all in together."
Gannon added that Hopkins is a "very valuable asset for us." He had been talking about Hopkins' ability on the field, but there is little doubt the Cardinals see him as a potential trade asset too.
If Hopkins were to remain in Arizona, his quarterback situation remains an unknown too, at least for a while. Murray was in Dallas last week to meet with his surgeon and get a checkup, and Gannon reiterated Murray is at the Dignity Health Training Center daily and looks ready to go into his next phase of rehab.
But the coach had no timeline for Murray's return, and never will.
"I'm not really concerned with a timeline, honestly," Gannon said. "There is a long time before we line up and play a game. When Kyler is fully ready to play mentally and physically, that's when he will play.
"I don't put timelines on guys coming back from injuries. I really don't do that because you're always wrong when you do that. Whenever he's ready to play, he'll play."
So that means Colt McCoy or David Blough behind center – unless it doesn't.
"We will always look, not just at QB but every position, as the different phases of the offseason go on, we will always look to improve our roster any way we can," Gannon said. "But we feel good with David and Colt. We have had good conversations with both those guys. They are both raring to go. They both were asking (offensive coordinator) Drew (Petzing) for the playbook and I was like, 'No, you don't need the playbook yet.' They are champing at the bit."
