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Early Look at Top Offensive Prospects in 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft is a little over a month away, with plenty of top talent ready to help change a team’s trajectory in the league. Though prospects like quarterback Caleb Williams and wide... Read Now
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Arizona Cardinals Stats, Odds, Standings, Schedule, 2023 NFL Season

Moving forward, the Arizona Cardinals are clearly in a transition period. The team struggled in 2022 for many reasons, leading to head coach Kliff Kingsbury being fired. However, it does seem like the team will slow-play this rebuild, using the draft to find improvements and looking toward the future. Las Vegas NFL odds do not think the Cardinals will be competitive, being in the early stages of a rebuild.

Arizona Cardinals Last Season’s Performance

A lot went wrong for the Cardinals last season, which resulted in their 4-13 record, after showing promise in 2021, finishing 11-6 and making the playoffs. A mix of off-field drama and injuries resulted in the team’s failure, leading to a necessary change.

Star quarterback Kyler Murray was at the forefront of the Cardinals’ issues. He played 11 games, starting twice after Week 9, and in one of those, he threw a single pass. Even before he was hurt, Arizona did not have the best NFL lines, but his absence made things worse.

On top of that, there was growing tension between him and Kingsbury due to the offense struggling. Murray also signed a massive contract extension, which was a complicated situation. Furthermore, it didn’t help that the two main receiving options, DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown, were unavailable most weeks.

The defense was another issue, allowing the second most points and playing a significant factor in the teams NFL odds. Nothing went right in 2022, leading to a lot of turnover headed into 2023.

Arizona Cardinals Key Additions

Due to NFL predictions not looking too fondly on the Cardinals’ upcoming season, it made things difficult for them to sign free agents. That led to Arizona being passive, not going after big names and keeping an eye on the draft. Despite that, they did sign pass-rusher Kyzir White to a two-year deal worth $10 million, the biggest move outside of re-signing players.

The one thing that the Cardinals did have success with this offseason was the draft. They moved around in the first round to acquire assets and added future starting offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. On top of that, they also added talent in later rounds, especially pass rusher BJ Ojulari and cornerback Garrett Williams.

Arizona Cardinals Key Subtraction

Given the current situation of the Cardinals, they allowed some key players to walk in free agency. The biggest names were defensive lineman Zach Allen and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. getting big contracts on other teams. On top of that, what headlined NFL news was Arizona’s decision to cut Hopkins, not finding a draft partner, and wanting to get his contract off the books.

Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Analysis

Kingsbury was fired after the final game, which sparked the coaching search. They eventually landed on Jonathan Gannon, the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. A big reason for Gannon getting hired was his work with the Eagles defense that lost in the Super Bowl. While it might take some time for him to change how NFL betting sees the Cardinals, there should be some progress on defense.

Arizona Cardinals Injured Players at the Beginning of the Season

Injuries were a part of the Cardinals’ struggles last season and could be an issue this season. Murray is still recovering from his ACL tear, without a clear timeline for his return. Similarly, Brown and tight end Zach Ertz are key offensive players predicted to miss some time at the start of the season. The defense is a little healthier, but linebacker Myjai Sanders is on the injury list. On top of that, potential key rookies in Ojulari and Williams are injured.

Infographic NFL Cardinals
Infographic NFL Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals Offense

Before the 2023 season starts, the Cardinals’ offense is the biggest concern. While, in theory, there is talent on the roaster, they all seem to be injured between Murray, Brown, and Ertz. It is also unclear when all three might be on the field again. That will have an immediate effect on the passing game.

Then there is the issue of the running game and offensive line. Running back James Conner is a solid player but did have a down year last season, with very little depth behind him. Outside of rookie tackle Johnson, there isn’t too much to get excited about on the offensive line, which has a chance only to make the overall offense worse.

Arizona Cardinals Defense

There does seem to be a little more optimism on the defensive side of the ball for the Cardinals. The first thing they have going for them is that Gannon is a defensive-minded head coach and was the coordinator for arguably the best defense last season. On top of that, despite losing players like Allen and Murphy, there is more talent on defense.

Safety Budda Baker was the lone Pro Bowler on the team and has proven to be one of the top players at his position. His safety partner, Jalen Thompson, also had decent success last season. Furthermore, the linebacker core is anchored by Isaiah Simmons. The three are a solid force up the middle of the defense, but the rest of the depth chart has some gaps that need to be filled, especially on the defensive line.

Arizona Cardinals Special Teams

The kicker will not be a position of concern for the Cardinals. They re-signed Matt Prater this offseason, making 88% of his 223 field goal attempts and going 17-of-18 on extra points in 13 games. Punter does seem to be a position under question, with Andy Lee having the job last season but not being on the roster. Instead, Nolan Cooney and Matt Haack are competing for the job.

Arizona Cardinals Prediction for the 2023 Season

Heading into the 2023 season, the Cardinals have one of the weaker rosters in the league. That is only made worse by the amount of key offensive players that will start the upcoming season injured. There was also little effort to improve the team in free agency, focusing more on the draft. It looks like Gannon will have a difficult first season as a head coach, with the team trending toward the first overall pick more than the playoffs.

Arizona Cardinals Final Thoughts

The point of this first season is for Gannon to find the Cardinals’ strengths and what the team needs to improve. It is kind of the first season of the rebuild, with a lot of bumps in the road, but looking ahead to the 2024 Draft and finding what young players will be in Arizona for the long haul is important.

Arizona Cardinals FAQ’s

Are the Cardinals willing to tank for the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft?

In the NFL, it is challenging to “tank” for the first overall pick, so it might be difficult for the Arizona Cardinals to do so. However, this roster is one of the worst in the NFL, so the team will not win many games, possibly ending up with a top-three pick in the 2024 draft.

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What is the goal of this season for the Arizona Cardinals?

The Cardinals’ goal for this season is to focus on development and finding the players that will make an impact in the future. With a new head coach in Jonathan Gannon, there is a lot the team needs to figure out.

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Which Cardinals Stars Are Poised for a Surprising Pro Bowl Invitation?

Over the years, the Cardinals have been one of the more problematic franchises, from being one of the worst organizations in the team report cards to cutting DeAndre Hopkins at such a peculiar time.

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Is Kyler Murray done playing for the Arizona Cardinals?

With Kyler Murray signing a five-year extension with the Cardinals in 2022, there is a good chance he will play for the team again. However, he has voiced his displeasure with the franchise, which did cause a rift during contract negotiations.

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