After an 11-6 season and playoff berth in 2021, the wheels fell off the Cardinals in 2022. Their four wins were the third fewest in the NFL and they lost 13 games for just the third time in franchise history. Once the season was over the team swiftly moved on from both head coach Kliff Kingsbury and long-time general manager Steve Keim.
Roster changes
This offseason marked the start of a major rebuild in Arizona and their activity in free agency shows as much, bringing in 23 new players. The vast majority of these were on short-term veteran minimum deals and simply designed to flesh out a threadbare roster. Only three of them will earn more than $2 million per annum, with Kyzir White’s two-year $10 million deal marking the high watermark.
There were, perhaps predictably, plenty of players moving the other way too. The Cardinals released wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, absorbing $21 million in dead cap in the process. Defensive lineman Zach Allen left for a big money deal in Denver, with cornerback Byron Murphy leaving for Minnesota after four seasons with the team. Veterans JJ Watt and Rodney Hudson both retired.
Coaching situation
This is an entirely new group in Arizona after cutting ties with GM Steve Keim and head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Soon after they brought in former Titans director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort to be their new general manager. They then hired former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathon Gannon to be the team’s new head coach.
Gannon then set to work constructing his new staff. He hired Drew Petzing to be their new offensive coordinator. Petzing has spent the last decade working with Kevin Stefanski, most recently as the quarterbacks coach with the Browns. He also brought Nick Rallis over from Philadelphia to be the team’s defensive coordinator. At 30 years old he is the youngest coordinator in the NFL.
2023 NFL Draft
| Pick | Player |
| 1.6 | Paris Johnson – OT, Ohio State |
| 2.41 | BJ Ojulari – EDGE, LSU |
| 3.72 | Garrett Williams – CB, Syracuse |
| 3.94 | Michael Wilson – WR, Stanford |
| 4.122 | Jon Gaines II – IOL, UCLA |
| 5.139 | Clayton Tune – QB, Houston |
| 5.168 | Owen Pappoe – LB, Auburn |
| 6.180 | Kei’Trel Clark – CB, Louisville |
| 6.213 | Dante Stills – IDL, West Virginia |
It isn’t often we’ve been able to say this in recent years, but the Cardinals look to have had a good draft class. In Paris Johnson they secured a very talented tackle who should make an impact out of the gate. Their next three picks all come with varying degrees of injury risk, but are certainly promising. Ojulari and Williams can help elevate a thin defense, whilst Michael Wilson has the potential to become the team’s leading receiver if he can stay healthy.
Offense
There is not a lot to get excited about when it comes to the Cardinals’ offense, but Kyler Murray is the obvious star. A lot has been written about the fifth-year quarterback, but he is undoubtedly a player with the potential to take over games singlehandedly. Murray was rarely helped out by Kliff Kingsbury’s scheme but he still managed to log an 8.1% big-time throw rate in 2021. That is the highest rate of any quarterback in the last three seasons. The issue this year will be health – he is recovering from a torn ACL and not expected to return until midseason.
Outside of Kyler, there is some degree of optimism surrounding this offensive line, at least when it comes to their pass protection. The team ranked eighth in adjusted sack rate in 2022, despite being without starting left tackle DJ Humphries for more than half the season. Their problem last season was run blocking (their 23% run stuff rate was the second highest in the NFL) but the addition of guard Elijah Wilkinson and center Hjalte Froholdt should help in that department. They also have first round pick Paris Johnson set to take over at right tackle.
Their lacklustre skill position group is what will really hold this team back. James Conner is the only back on the roster to have a season with at least 100+ carries or 400+ rushing yards. Tight end Trey McBride disappointed as a rookie, ranking 40th of 43 eligible tight ends in yards per route run. Their decision to cut DeAndre Hopkins also leaves them short at receiver, with a starting trio of Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, and Zach Pascal inspiring little if any confidence. Keep an eye on rookie wideout Michael Wilson though – he could have more of an impact than expected.
Defense
The Cardinals’ defense struggled noticeably in 2022 and things aren’t looking much better for this season. They really struggled to generate consistent pressure last season, ranking 27th in adjusted sack rate. To make matters worse, their three leaders in pressures last season all left. Rookie second round pick BJ Ojulari is dealing with a knee injury, leaving them with a starting edge duo of converted linebacker Zaven Collins and career backup Dennis Gardeck.
The Cardinals also appear to have one of, if not the weakest cornerback rooms in football. Their starters on the boundary are Marco Wilson, who struggled in 2022, and rookie sixth rounder Kei’Trel Clark. They also traded away Isaiah Simmons, who spent most of last season in the slot, meaning Antonio Hamilton will move inside. Their backups are rookie second round pick Garrett Williams, who is still recovering from a torn ACL, and 2022 seventh rounder Christian Matthew. Outside of that they have Kris Boyd, who has been primarily a special teamer since entering the league in 2019.
If you are trying to find some reason for hope it is at safety. Budda Baker is still one of the best safeties in football and will no doubt be a central part of the defense that Jonathan Gannon is looking to build. Jalen Thompson is also a solid starter. Both safeties are comfortable executing a variety of assignments and their versatility and experience should go some way to helping a young defense this season.
Prediction
The Cardinals have the longest Super Bowl odds of any team and it is easy to see why. With Kyler Murray missing time and a defense that has a tonne of question marks, it is hard to see this team competing at all in 2023. This is the first year of a major rebuild and they could easily be in contention for the No. 1 overall pick.
