The 2023 offseason could represent a pivotal time in the Arizona Cardinals’ franchise. After making sweeping changes, removing both general manager Steve Keim and head coach Kliff Kingsbury, only to be replaced by GM Monti Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon, expect the Cardinals to look much different next season.
While, on some levels, we were already expecting big changes, with Kyler Murray‘s ACL surgery likely to keep him sidelined for the early portion of the season, plus DeAndre Hopkins’ possible trade and J.J. Watt’s retirement, roster moves were always coming.
Now the key is making sure this roster overhaul is executed to perfection, ensuring they can build a more competitive team around their franchise QB, even if it doesn’t happen right away in 2023. But what moves should be on the Cardinals’ radar now that they’ve secured their head coach? Here are just a few ideas to help put the Cards on a better course.
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Hire bright offensive mind to maximize Kyler Murray’s skillset
Alright, so pieces of the puzzle are being put together in the desert, but one crucial decision has yet to be made. Who will be the offensive coordinator and play-caller in the Red Sea in 2023? It’s a critical part of the process, as although Murray has flashed brilliance at times, we have also seen maddening levels of inconsistency from the former No. 1 overall pick.
Since the Cardinals chose to do the opposite this time around by hiring a defensive specialist as the locker room leader, who will be tasked with getting the most out of K1? The Cardinals have been linked to several offensive coordinators already, but Kansas City Chiefs coach Eric Bieniemy is by far the biggest name of the bunch.
He’s fresh off his second career Super Bowl victory, helping the Chiefs to the NFL’s highest-scoring offense, even after trading Tyreek Hill, one of the best receivers in football. But that was while working with the NFL’s best quarterback Patrick Mahomes. What can Bieniemy do calling plays for Murray, who’s not on Mahomes’ level as a dropback passer? Either way, if Gannon can hire the coach who just helped defeat his Eagles in the Super Bowl, the Cardinals’ future with Murray at QB would suddenly look much brighter.
Related: NFL QB Rankings: See where Kyler Murray ranks
Overhaul the offensive line
While Murray hurt his knee on a freak fluke play while scrambling, it doesn’t ignore the fact that the Cardinals haven’t exactly provided their franchise QB with a trusting protection scheme during his four-year tenure. Murray was sacked a league-high 48 times during his rookie season, and he quickly reduced his rate of being sacked three times per game down to 1.6 in his second year, but it’s been downhill since.
Murray has been sacked, on average, 2.2 times per game in his past two years. This equated to the 12th-best sack rate in 2023, but how much of that is thanks to Murray’s ability to flee the pocket at the drop of a hat? It’s no secret that the Cardinals’ passing offense needs to improve. They had the fourth-most attempts last season yet ranked second-worst in yards per throw. In other words, they pass a ton, but they’re not gaining much yardage to show for it.
Could part of the problem in the passing game be a lack of trust in his protection scheme, either leading to Murray fleeing the scene earlier than he’d like? None of the Cardinals’ five offensive line starters graded higher than 30th at their respective positions, meaning the new regime shouldn’t be too attached to anyone in the trenches.
One potential keeper may be 2020 third-round pick Josh Jones, as he was the highest-ranked one in the group, grading well both as a run blocker and in pass protection at left tackle. After Jones? We’d start fresh, ditching a group that had the second-most penalties as a unit in 2022. Being that four of their five opening-day starters are set for free agency, it gives the Cardinals a great chance to add players who fit their new, to-be-determined scheme.
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Bring a taste of Philadelphia to Arizona
Now that former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is packing his bags for Arizona, how about bringing a few key defenders from Philadelphia with him? Philadelphia has a wide collection of free agents whose contracts have expired, and with Jalen Hurts likely to get a big payday, the Eagles may not be able to retain several pieces.
Some noticeable free agents from the Eagles’ top-ranked defense include:
- Fletcher Cox, DT
- Javon Hargrave, DT
- Robert Quinn, DE (wasn’t a starter for PHI)
- Brandon Graham, DE (wasn’t a starter for PHI)
- T.J. Edwards, LB
- James Bradberry, CB
- Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S
Each of these players were either starters on Philadelphia’s defense or have been to Pro Bowls in their careers. While some are likely in the latter portion of their playing careers, others, such as Javon Hargrave, James Bradberry, T.J. Edwards, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, all likely have multiple seasons of their prime ahead of them.
If Gannon could entice even a couple of defenders from this list, it would help him not only install his defense a bit quicker and more efficiently but he’d also have a few more supporters in the locker room for his first foray as an NFL head coach.
Related: Top NFL free agents of 2023: From 1-250, led by Lamar Jackson, Derek Carr and Saquon Barkley
Continue investing in the defense
While Gannon’s hiring likely is a strong indication in the organizational mindset the Cardinals are about to employ, they still need to go out and add talent. Especially on defense, so that Gannon won’t be working with an empty cupboard. The Cardinals do have several talented pieces already on hand, such as All-Pro safety Budda Baker, but they could also afford to get more out of recent draft picks, like Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons.
More so, the Cardinals need to reinforce a pass-rush unit that finished tied for the ninth-fewest sacks in 2022, and chances are, J.J. Watt won’t be returning in 2023. It doesn’t help that the team’s second-leading sack artist, Zach Allen, is also set for free agency.
In summation, the Cardinals may want to prioritize finding a pass-rusher who has elite traits with the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Having a franchise QB already in tow, the Cardinals can likely afford to focus on developing their defense and continue building a better foundation for their young cornerstone to thrive over the next few years. We’ll see what their plan is, soon enough.
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