Andrew Buller-Russ
Starting fresh with a first-year general manager and head coach, it’s anyone’s guess what type of team the Arizona Cardinals could be in 2023. They do still have 2019’s No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray, but after suffering an ACL tear on Dec. 12, he’s likely to miss a healthy chunk of the upcoming season.
Not to mention, All-Pro talent J.J. Watt has retired, and DeAndre Hopkins could soon be jettisoned from the roster either by trade or as a cap casualty as well. All of these are further indications that the Cardinals, who earned the third overall pick for a reason, may not be the most competitive in their first season under coach Jonathan Gannon.
That’s the same sentiment shared by an unnamed NFL executive, who recently opened up to The Athletic about Arizona’s state of the franchise as we get deeper into the offseason.
“They have a new coach and a new GM who have never worked together, and their super-expensive quarterback is out. I don’t want to say this is a throwaway year, but it’s a throwaway year.”
Anonymous league executive on Arizona Cardinals in 2023
Related: 2023 NFL mock draft: Seahawks, Colts land QBs, 2-round NFL Draft projection
This isn’t exactly a hot take, as it really just further highlights how troubling their upcoming campaign could be without Murray leading the way. Already having one of the least talented rosters in football, the Cardinals may be better off punting on the season before it even begins.
Knowing they won’t compete for a Super Bowl, the Cardinals could set themselves up to bounce back in a big way, starting in 2024, with hopefully a much better collection of talent surrounding their franchise QB. Yet, even if the Cardinals may privately feel this way, good luck ever getting anyone to admit it, not that they’d need to. Unfortunately, the product on the field should speak for itself.
