Is quarterback the Cardinals weakest position group?
Before I go into my spiel, let me start by saying that I really like watching Kyler Murray play football. Time and time again he’s proved he can dazzle our eyes as much as any other quarterback in the league. His ability to create plays with his legs might only be rivaled by Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson. With that though, comes some of the more puzzling on-field decisions we’ve seen out of a quarterback. While he hasn’t been blessed with a lot of offensive talent surrounding him his whole career, Kyler has not always helped himself. Forcing a ball or crying to extend a play with his feet has cost Murray and the Cardinals on numerous occasions. While his tangibles have steadily improved year to year since entering the league, I’m not the biggest fan of how he approaches the game.
As you’ll see throughout this writing, I actually think the Cardinals have done a good job with their rebuild. What I think might be needed in their future is a trade similar to the one when the Lions and Rams swapped their starters under center. While we know Jared Goff was not bad for the Rams, sometimes an aggressive approach at the most important position is needed. With how important QB1 is though, I am not just looking at Kyler when I talk about the quarterback position.We saw how important the backup position is, as 17 teams had their non-starter open up a regular season game at some point in 2023. The Cardinals went along with the rest of the NFL in prioritizing their backup spot, but the guys they went for doesn’t really solve anything. They went and traded for Desmond Ridder, the struggling starter from the Atlanta Falcons. When I think of a backup Q, I think of someone who can keep your team in a game through sound, smart football until the starter comes back. I’m not sure how Ridder accomplishes that, as he is one of the more erratic throwers I have ever watched. We will analyze the other positions the Cards need depth in, but this first one I’ve brought up just doesn’t give me much hope for Arizona this year.
The rest of the offensive skill positions feature very diverse talent. James Conner was the workhorse of the offense last year, going for over 1,000 rushing yards behind a weak offensive line. Trey Benson from Florida State joins Connor in the backfield and I think the rookie could learn from him as the two share striking similarities in terms of skill set. Free agent signing Deejay Dallas provides depth in case Conner misses time again.
Tight end is another area I think fans can be optimistic about. Trey McBride is one of the more dynamic tight ends in the league going into just his third year. Watching him last year, it really doesn’t feel like there is a route he’s uncomfortable running. Their backup at that spot looks to be third round selection Tip Reiman, who the Cardinals are hoping could be a sixth blocker in certain sets.
They won’t really need two tight ends most of the time as they like to spread the offense out. This will be especially evident this year as Arizona has one of the more underrated receiving corps in the NFL. Marvin Harrison Jr. might be the most NFL ready player in this draft. I know this isn’t a hot take as he was the fourth pick this year, but we’ve seen time and time again how impactful rookie wideouts can be in their inaugural year. Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch are also dependable weapons for Kyler. He needs speedy pass catchers for the middle of the field which these two offer.
As far as the other side of the ball goes, I’m very excited to see how the Cardinals defense bounces back this year. Jonothan Gannon sought out players who fit his defense and he got them. Sean Murphy-Bunting and Budda Baker make for one of the more exciting secondary pairings in the league. Next to Baker is Jalen Thompson, one of the best playmaking safeties in the game. Rookie corner Max Melton might need a year or two to develop into a more serviceable NFL ready defensive back, but look for him to cause a few takeaways this year. His nose for the ball is one trait that should definitely translate to the league.
The front seven is another area that schematically works with Gannon. They were one of the worst last year, but I expect them to be more serviceable this year. They acquired Mack Wilson Sr. who can play multiple linebacker positions if needed. I’m not giving up on BJ Ojulari yet, who I was very high on last year. New defensive tackles Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols will make two real run stuffers on the line. They also drafted Darius Robinson out of Missouri to be a pass rusher, who was one of my favorite players from this April.
The one position group I don’t hold in a high regard for this squad is the offensive line. They went out and got Jonah Williams to take over at left guard which was a good signing, but the rest of the big guys we could see on that line are not that impressive. Even if Paris Johnson Jr. plays up to his potential this year, the Cardinals need more to protect their undersized quarterback. These two positions that I find below average are why I think the Cardinals under for their total wins is the easiest bet this offseason. Vegas has them at 7.5 wins right now and if you look at their schedule along with all the other problems I’ve highlighted, I don't think 2024 is the start of the winning seasons the Arizona Cardinals should experience in the future.