The Arizona Cardinals were widely expected to be one of the NFL’s worst teams in 2023. Not having their franchise quarterback Kyler Murray for nine starts surely didn’t help. Yet, Jonathan Gannon’s team still impressed in some ways. Three of their four wins came against playoff opponents.
But now that Murray is 100% healthy, what can Cardinals fans expect from their team in Year 2 of Gannon’s tenure? Ideally, a much-improved roster, and some around the NFL are already buying in, especially on offense.
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Drew Petzing setting Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals up for success
The Arizona Cardinals had the 10th-lowest scoring offense in the NFL a season ago. But that was a scoring attack that started Joshua Dobbs for eight games and fifth-round rookie Clayton Tune for another.
One underrated aspect of the Cardinals heading into the 2024 season is their scheme, drawn up by offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. The former Vikings and Browns assistant is heading into just his second full season as a play-caller, but his scheme is already drawing “rave reviews” from his NFL coaching peers.
According to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, the Cardinals’ offense is bound to take off in 2024, and Petzing plus Kyler Murray are the two biggest reasons why.
“Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s scheme has drawn rave reviews around the league, and there’s widespread belief he’ll draw head coaching interviews after the season. Rival executives are also impressed by general manager Monti Ossenfort’s roster reconstruction in a very short amount of time. The Cardinals’ ceiling may be limited by a brutally difficult division, but they’re absolutely on the rise.”
Jeff Howe on Arizona Cardinals
Petzing is just 37, so he could very well become the next rising star to emerge out of the coaching ranks. If he can help Murray reach his full potential as a former No. 1 overall pick, you can count on Petzing getting multiple head coaching interviews during the 2024-25 NFL hiring cycle. Armed with Marvin Harrison Jr, it’s not hard to see how Murray could enjoy a breakout season under Petzing’s tutelage.