What a difference a year can make.
Heading into the 2023 offseason, the big question was whether the Cardinals, who hold Houston’s first-round pick in addition to their own, would wind up with the 1st and 2nd picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, and there were questions about whether new head coach Jonathan Gannon had set himself up for disaster by taking on this job.
Things played out rather differently; Arizona played with a high compete level out of the gates, nearly beating the Commanders and Giants in the first two weeks before shocking the Cowboys in Week 3.
The Cardinals didn’t pick up another win until quarterback Kyler Murray returned from his torn ACL in Week 10, but once the former first overall pick was back, he wasted no time in re-solidifying himself as Arizona’s franchise quarterback, picking up a victory over Atlanta in his first game back as part of a 3-5 finish.
The combination of Murray’s successful return and the Texans blowing away expectations means that Arizona’s first-rounders will be at #4 and #27, but while that might not be as exciting as having the first two picks, it probably means the Cardinals are closer to playoff contention than they would be in the alternative scenario. There’s a lot of work left to do, but headed into the 2024 offseason, it appears Arizona has their “guy” at GM, head coach, and quarterback, and that’s a solid place to start.
Kyler’s ACL: A Blessing in Disguise?
It’s hard to take this sort of speculation too far without knowing the person, but if Murray’s approach to the game shifted as a result of his injury, it might work out for the best.
The “film-watching” clause has gotten enough play, but it’s worth noting that it didn’t come out of nowhere; Murray’s athletic talent was obvious, and he became far more productive with the addition of receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but when studying his film, the game didn’t appear to be “getting easier” for him on the mental side.
Whatever the case, Murray, who has spoken about how having football taken away from him shifted his perspective, did enough in Arizona’s building this year for the team to commit to him moving forward. Maybe they wouldn’t have had a choice - Chicago, Washington, and New England may take the top three quarterbacks - but Murray did enough to be excited about what he can do with a full offseason and an improved roster in 2024; ACL or not, the athleticism sure seems to be back.
Where Do the Cardinals Focus Their Build?
There are a handful of building blocks on Arizona’s roster, but with the torn ACL suffered by left tackle D.J. Humphries at the end of 2023 muddying the waters on the offensive line, the Cardinals could add players at any position but quarterback. Second-year right tackle Paris Johnson is their foundation piece on the offensive line, his draft classmate Michael Wilson topped 500 receiving yards and posted 5 touchdowns in an underwhelming offense, and tight end Trey McBride broke out in a big way down the stretch, but their presence won’t stop Arizona from adding talent to their position rooms.
If quarterbacks go off the board with the first three picks, the consensus selection seems to be receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. out of Ohio State. Harrison is the type of receiver a team would build in a lab, a height-weight-speed freak with a great feel for the position who has had draft analysts raving for multiple seasons; should the Cardinals pick Harrison and keep veteran Marquise Brown off the free agency market, the Cardinals will have a versatile, talented group of pass catchers when they line up in 11 personnel.
Beyond that, Arizona’s direction will be one of the more interesting things to watch this offseason; with an estimated $45 million in cap space (per Spotrac) and two extra 3rd-round picks in addition to the extra first-rounder, general manager Monti Ossenfort can take this build wherever he wants.
Last offseason, Ossenfort did a terrific job establishing a standard of competition across the roster - some of his better moves came along the offensive line, where pieces like center Hjalte Froholdt shored up what had been a trainwreck - and now he can focus on acquiring impact players.
The key question is whether Ossenfort does this with a focus on one side of the ball, or with a more balanced approach; with 8 picks in the Top 110, and another 5 in the 5th, 6th, and 7th rounds, Ossenfort has the flexibility to move around, or to sit back and use a volume approach.
Life in the NFC West
If Arizona played in the NFC South, they would likely be a popular pick to win the division next year. Unfortunately, they do not, and while a great deal of uncertainty surrounds the Seahawks in the post-Pete Carroll era, Sean McVay and the Rams ended 2023 with the arrow pointed up, and Kyle Shannahan and the 49ers don’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.
The Cardinals may be two offseason cycles away from pushing for the division title/competing for the Super Bowl, but a strong draft and continued improvement from Murray could accelerate that timeline. As fun as the #1/#2 combo would have been, the fact that Arizona enters the 2024 offseason with some sort of direction should probably be counted as a positive.
Early 2024 Projection: 3rd in NFC West