Cardinals Season In Review/Offseason Preview

By: Mike Rifkin

The 2021 Arizona Cardinals were the talk of the league when they started 7-0; then they lost four of their final six games before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams on wildcard weekend. Before the 2022 season, the Cardinals’ front office extended Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury and Quarterback Kyler Murray. Murray signed a five-year 230.5 million dollar contract with 160 million dollars guaranteed. Murray’s contract will make him the third highest-paid quarterback in the NFL going into the 2023 season behind Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. 

But Murray will miss part of the 2023 season after he tore his ACL in December. Before the injury, Kyler Murray had a 66.4 completion percentage and threw for 2,368 yards with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Murray added 418 yards rushing and three touchdowns. The team kept the details of Kingsbury’s extension private, and Kingsbury was fired after the Cardinals finished the 2022 season 4-13. Kingsbury was 28-17-1 in four seasons as the Cardinals coach. The Cardinals hired Eagles defensive coordinator Johnathon Gannon as the team’s next head coach.

 Whether it’s Murray or someone else, one of the things Gannon has to fix is the offensive line. Cardinals quarterbacks were sacked 46 times last season, seven more than they gave up in 2021. This offense has many options, no matter who the quarterback is. James Conner had another solid season in Arizona with 782 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games. Hollywood Brown, who the Cardinals acquired in a draft day trade with the Ravens and played with Kyler Murray at Oklahoma, had 67 catches for 709 yards and three touchdowns. DeAndre Hopkins, limited to nine games due to injury and a suspension for PEDS, had 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns. Tight End Zach Ertz had 47 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns before tearing his ACL and MCL in November. 

Gannon will take over a defense that was 21st in yards allowed allowing 348.9 yards per game. They were near the bottom of the league with 36 sacks and a -5 turnover differential. The Cardinal defense gave up 26.4 points per game. The Cardinal defense will be without one of their leaders as after this past season, JJ Watt announced his retirement from the NFL. Watt led the Cardinals with 12.5 sacks in 2022, including six in the last five games. Gannon led an Eagles defense in the top three in yards allowed, sacks, and turnover differential. The Eagles’ defense allowed 20.2 points per game.

The Cardinals will enter the offseason with around 20 million dollars in cap space. They can make some space by trading DeAndre Hopkins. The star receiver turns 31 this summer, so the Cardinals might look to get younger at the receiver position. Hopkins can be sought after by many teams, which could put the Cardinals as a beneficiary when it comes to draft capital. Cutting veterans Robbie Anderson, Markus Golden, and Colt McCoy could help the Cardinals save 17 million dollars. 

Offseason Moves

1. Trade DeAndre Hopkins. Teams that could be interested include the Giants, Bears, and Jaguars.
2. Sign a Veteran QB: If Kyler Murray is out until midseason and Colt McCoy is a cut candidate, the Cardinals need a quarterback. Three names make sense: Andy Dalton, Teddy Bridgewater, and Jameis Winston (if cut). Any of the three could hold the fort down until Kyler comes back. 
3.  Sign Yannick Ngakoue – The Cardinals were at the bottom half of the league in sacks. JJ Watt retired, and Ngakoue has at least eight sacks every year of his career.
4. Sign Ben Powers – Time to beef up the Offensive line to help the investment of Kyler Murray. Powers has been great for the Ravens and can seek a big payday. 

Draft 

RD1 (3) – Will Anderson – EDGE: Alabama. The Cardinals have lost Watt and Chandler Jones in consecutive offseasons. The Cardinals add the best pass rusher in the draft.

RD 2 (34) Cam Mitchell – CB – Northwestern: The Cardinals cornerbacks could be better. Mitchell is a solid corner with good size in a division with some big receivers.

RD 3 (66) – Xavier Hutchinson – WR – Iowa St. If the Cardinals move on from Hopkins, they must fill the void. Hutchinson is a solid route runner with good hands.