The Cardinals finished strong with Kyler Murray back in 2023, but is the roster strong enough to make a leap in the NFC? If you like the analysis here, consider signing up for our free newsletter to get can’t-miss NFL news and insights straight to your inbox every week.
- 2023 finish: 4-13 (last in NFC West); missed playoffs
- Over/under: 7.5 wins
Notable additions
QB Desmond Ridder, RB DeeJay Dallas, WR Zay Jones, WR Chris Moore, OT Jonah Williams, OL Evan Brown, DL Justin Jones, DL Bilal Nichols, DL Khyiris Tonga, LB Mack Wilson Sr., LB Markus Bailey, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
Notable losses
RB Keaontay Ingram, WR Hollywood Brown, WR Rondale Moore, TE Zach Ertz, TE Geoff Swaim, OT D.J. Humphries, DL Jonathan Ledbetter, DL Leki Fotu, DL Kevin Strong, DL Carlos Watkins, LB Ezekiel Turner, LB Josh Woods, CB Antonio Hamilton, CB Marco Wilson, S K’Von Wallace
2024 draft class
WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (1.04), DL Darius Robinson (1.27), CB Max Melton (2.43), RB Trey Benson (3.66), G Isaiah Adams (3.71), TE Tip Reiman (3.82), CB Elijah Jones (3.90), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (4.104), OLB Xavier Thomas (5.138), OT Christian Jones (5.162), WR Tejhaun Palmer (6.191), CB Jaden Davis (7.226)
Projected starters
QB: Kyler Murray
RB: James Conner
WR: Marvin Harrison Jr. (R)
WR: Michael Wilson
WR: Greg Dortch
TE: Trey McBride
LT: Paris Johnson Jr.
LG: Evan Brown
C: Hjalte Froholdt
RG: Will Hernandez
RT: Jonah Williams
DL: Justin Jones
DL: Bilal Nichols
OLB: Zaven Collins
ILB: Kyzir White
ILB: Mack Wilson Sr.
OLB: Dennis Gardeck
CB: Sean Murphy-Bunting
S: Jalen Thompson
S: Budda Baker
SCB: Garrett Williams
CB: Max Melton (R)
2024 outlook
Arizona started 1-8 last year, but as stated during the struggles, it felt like a “competitive tank” with Jonathan Gannon’s squad fighting despite their lack of talent. The second half of the season provided a springboard this year with Kyler Murray going 3-5 (including road wins against the Steelers and Eagles), and the optimism is compounded by seven selections in the top 90 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft. The question to be answered is if general manager Monti Ossenfort hit on enough of the picks, but the franchise at least appears to be headed in the right direction.
The draft class as a whole was headlined by Marvin Harrison Jr., and he should immediately be a focal-point of the offense along with James Conner and Trey McBride. Beyond those three, the Cardinals will have Kyler Murray’s legs be more of a factor in his first full season back from his torn ACL, and both Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch have had standout summers as potential breakout candidates. I have some concern about the offensive line and thought Arizona could have made different moves to improve the interior this offseason, so we’ll see how it comes together with veteran Evan Brown set to start with third-rounder Isaiah Adams—a surprise selection on Day 2 in my opinion—struggling this month.
One thing the Cardinals could have done was to move up slightly for Graham Barton (No. 26 overall pick), but Darius Robinson went one selection later and brings a great blend of size, versatility, and football character on the defensive front. The torn ACL suffered by BJ Ojulari earlier this month was crushing as a guy that could have made a Year 2 leap, so Robinson providing an instant impact is key, and I like how Arizona bolstered the trenches with Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols. On the backend, Max Melton was one of my favorite players in the 2024 class, and he’s an all-around cornerback that can cover, take the ball away, and support versus the run.
Position battle to watch: Defensive line
This isn’t a heated battle because everyone will play, but again, the Cardinals will be counting on Darius Robinson to be an immediate difference-maker, and it’ll be fun to see how Jonathan Gannon and the coaching staff decide to utilize him; because of the injury to BJ Ojulari, we might see more action for the rookie from the edge, especially with Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols signed to three-year deals to be the starting defensive ends in a versatile 3-4 scheme.
Breakout candidate: WR Greg Dortch
I could let Kyler Murray handle this write up, as he called Dortch “underrated,” said he’s “unguardable” one-on-one, and “would be a top-five pick” if he was six-foot-three rather than five-foot-seven. Last season was quieter for the 26-year-old with just 24 receptions, but he caught 52-of-64 targets a couple of years ago and seems to be in line for an important complementary role for the passing attack.
Circle on the calendar: Week 7 (v LAC) | Monday, October 21 – 9:00 PM ET
The latest kickoff time on the 2024 schedule, Chargers-Cardinals is part of a Monday Night Football doubleheader and could be a turning point for Arizona—who will take on the Bills, Rams, Lions, 49ers, and Packers in five of their first six games. If the team at least shows fight during the brutal start and can beat Los Angeles, there will likely be hope for another end-of-season run; if not, there will be a lot of disappointment setting in for a year that was supposed to be the start of a legitimate turnaround.
Bottom line
While the NFC is getting more daunting, there is room for a team to emerge as a contender, and Arizona could be that team if their 2024 draft class ends up being a great one. Surviving a tough early-season schedule is crucial to not fall too far behind and lose the momentum built at the end of last year.