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Season in Review – Arizona Cardinals

By Tim Monk (@Tim_MonkF10Y)

The NFL season is over which means 2 things, 1 – it’s time to be sad for a few months until the NFL Draft and 2 – You now have a lot of time on your hands.

In this series of articles, we try and take care of number 2.

Today, it’s the turn of the Arizona Cardinals…

Entering the season

The Cardinals were seen as the wildcard in which everyone wanted to see them do well, but wouldn’t be overly vocal about it.

Image result for kyler murray kliff kingsbury — Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

With more changes than you can shake a kaleidoscope at, the Cardinals not only got a new HC in Air raid specialist Kliff Kingsbury but also swiftly changed their franchise QB when they took Kyler Murray 1^st overall and shipped 2018 1^st round selection Josh Rosen off to Miami.

Whilst success wasn’t necessarily expected, forward progress was (well, unless the refs blew it dead first….).

During the season

The Cardinals expectedly had teething problems; Kyler Murray adjusting to the pace of the game and Kliff Kingsbury struggling to implement the offence meant that the Cardinals had to wait until week 5 for their first win against the Bengals.

Despite the improvements as the season wore on, they did not defeat a team with a winning record outside the division all season and only defeated the Seahawks in week 16, a game that meant very little to the Seahawks so it’s arguable at how far they have come since this time last year (NFC West is always a throw of the dice regardless of gap in quality of team), especially when you consider they only put up over 350 yards of total offence 8 times this season, though 3 of those instances came in the last 3 weeks of the season.

Kyler Murray ended up with a respectable rookie season and left the impression that he will be better for the run. Inhis rookie season he accounted for 4266 yards, with 544 coming on the ground, a 20:12 TD/INT ratio on a 64.4 pass completion %.

Image result for kenyan drake — Image Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

The Cardinals transitioned to Kenyan Drake at running back, effectively storing David Johnson in the closet but the backfield was a mess all season. At wide receiver, Christian Kirk (when healthy) built up a nice rapport with his quarterback and Larry Fitzgerald popped up every now and then.

On the defensive side, things didn’t improve all that much when Patrick Peterson returned from suspension, though Chandler Jones continues to rock the air guitar, doing so 19 times this season.

No-one was expecting the Cardinals to be legitimate playoff contenders this early on but maybe on the basis of their 2019 showing, a playoff berth may not be too far away if they continue on their upward trajectory. The division strength would be a concern though.

Offseason outlook

The Cardinals will look to address that porous defence and also give some more help to the offensive line which has been awful for a few years now. Whilst they wont have the #1 pick this year, they will be picking high up in the first round. They still have holes on the offensive line which will need a few darts thrown at it this year too.

Image result for larry fitzgerald — Image Credit: Norm Hall/Getty

In terms of current personnel, the Cardinals may want to try and find David Johnson a new home but his salary may be an issue. Future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald will no doubt be coaxed into staying for another season and it remains to be seen whether Larry has the appetite to keep it going when there is no chance of a Super Bowl in the near future (he may be tempted in trying to reach Jerry Rice’s receptions record which he is only x away from though).

The nucleus of the team is there with a lot of youth being brought in from the plethora of draft picks they’ve had, especially on offence so the offseason will be spent ensuring the chemistry and rapport continues to build.

The foundations are set, time to build the house.

Fun Fact – Arizona were 30^th in terms of 3^rd down conversions allowed in 2019 but 1^st overall on 4^th down conversion allowed on defence, whilst on offence they were 21st on 3rd down but 3rd on 4th down.

Full10Takeaways – Week 4

blog, Lawrence, NFL, Shaun

By Shaun Blundell (@Shaun_F10Y) and Lawrence Vos (@NFLFanInEngland)

Week 4 is done and dusted! It goes so quick! Before you get ready for the waiver wires in fantasy and don your NFL shirt to go to the Wembley game, here are the main stories to take away from last weekend’s action!

The New Monsters of The Midway

We knew going into the game at Soldier Field on Sunday that the strength of both the Vikings and Bears lied on the defensive side of the field. We left the game without a doubt that one of those defences is far superior to the other and that defence belongs to the Chicago Bears.

The loss of Vic Fangio has not led to any drop off as Chuck Pagano is marshalling a defence that is the most loaded in the league. On pace for 32 takeaways, 2nd in the league for sacks and 2nd in the league for pts allowed per game this unit as awesome.

Khalil Mack is obviously the star but bear in mind they did this Sunday without Roquan Smith and Akiem Hicks, the sky is literally the limit for these monsters.

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Run CMC

Image Credit – Eric Christian Smith / AP Photo

He probably will not win it, but, Christian McCaffrey should be considered for MVP honours. Remember what MVP stands for? Is there any single player more valuable for their team than the Panthers running back?

Playing in a ridiculous 98.3% of the offensive snaps so far on the season, McCaffrey once again was the offence on Sunday. A career high of 37 touches produced 93 rushing yards on 27 carries and 86 further yards through the air on 10 catches. The all important touchdown was also produced inevitably by CMC as the Panthers improved to 2-0 without Cam Newton.

Carolina is proving it can survive without their grandma impersonating quarterback, they will keep everything crossed they don’t have to deal with life without #22.

Step Away From The Kliff Edge

Image Credit – Chritian Peterson / Getty Images

Remember when we were excited to see what Kliff Kingsbury would bring to the NFL? A promise of an air raid offence, ran at speed that defences would have no clue of how to stop it.

Well that was the advert at least.

The reality? How do I put this politely? A bit of a snooze fest. Yes the Cardinals run a lot of plays, that is backed up by the fact Kyler Murray is averaging 42.5 pass attempts per contest so far in his short (no pun intended) NFL career. The problem is the lack of explosiveness, it’s all a bit too safe, a bit too dink and dunk.

Of course the problem for the Cardinals is that’s all well and good until you get behind on the scoreboard as was the case again this weekend. They are not built to play from behind and the supposed revolution is certainly yet to materialise.

Feed The Chubb

Image Credit – John Kuntz / cleveland.com

It took 4 weeks but the “real” Browns showed up in Baltimore. Powered behind a career day from Nick Chubb, Cleveland dominated the Ravens by a score of 40-25 to take the early lead in the AFC North.

Chubb gashed the Ravens for 165 yards and 3 scores on the ground and unsurprisingly with that level of production on the ground, Baker Mayfield looked the best has all season in this one. Jarvis Landry also has a career day with 167 yards receiving as the much talked about group finally produced.

All of a sudden things are looking up in NorthEast Ohio and the talk of Freddie Kitchens being in over his head and Baker Mayfield being overrated will be silenced for a week.

If the Browns continue with this formula they should be the team to beat in the division, as the saying goes “feed the Chubb and he will score”.

Vontaze- Far From Burfict

Image Credit – Justin Casterline / Getty Images

In quite possibly the shortest ever takeaway….. Goodbye and don’t ever come back! How on Earth this guy was made a team captain I will never know. His shot on Jack Doyle was disgusting and the league has rightfully acted by suspending him for the remainder of the season. Fingers crossed he never sees a field again!

Clever Trevor earns his Spurs

Staying with the Raiders, when the Green Bay Packers traded WR Trevor Davis to the Raiders after Week 2 the transaction barely made a ripple. Now it’s making a king size bar of Fruit and Nut.

In the first quarter of the Raiders Week 4 victory over the Colts Davis returned a punt one yard but remained on the field. Chucky must have been impressed by Davis’s running ability when he faced him in the 2019 pre-season, as he gave the former Cal star the handoff on first down. The result a spectacular 60 yard rushing touchdown and a 14-0 lead. Brought in as a return specialist Davis is no replacement for AB but he has an excellent opportunity to impress.

The development continues for Davis at Tottenham Hotspur’s new ground on Sunday against an opponent he will be very familiar with from his former NFC division. Davis may be a gadget player, but if he continues to make highlight package plays then we could see his role expand. Not a bad debut to make in Silver and Black.

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Kerryon impressing please

Sid James, if he would have been a Detroit Lions fan, would have plenty of reasons to unleash his trademark cackle in years past at a moribund running game in the Motor City, but it’s all change now.

Once considered a laughing stock, and even cursed since the shock retirement of Hall of Fame RB Barry Sanders, Detroit went a stupendous 70 games without a 100-yard game on the ground from an individual player. That was finally called to a halt in 2018 when Kerryon Johnson finally reached the century mark. Week 4 2019 saw Johnson have his third 100+ yard game in just 14 career contests.

If he remains injury free Johnson can establish himself as a top 10 NFL RB. 26 carries at almost five yards a carry against the Chiefs will be pleasing Coach Beardtricia. Johnson had been having a rough start to the season, failing to reach a ground-based half-century between weeks 1-3.

This game may not have resulted in a Lions win, but it shows Kerryon is reliable and on his way, if the climate controlled dome wind goes in his direction, for a 1,000 yard plus rushing season.

Somebody is melting away their window of opportunity

There is a QB who is second in the NFL in passing yards, has recorded four consecutive 300+ yard performances, is third in TD passes thrown and is completing over 70% of his passes. This is the same QB who leads the league in interceptions thrown and has managed a maximum of 24 points in four games to date. Stand up, or in the case of a rookie led offensive line, sit down on your backside Matt Ryan.

There is no denying Ryan is a savvy veteran passer who knows how to move the ball, is accurate, and calm in the face of pressure, but 1-3 is not what Falcons fans were expecting. Ryan was one period of greatness from a Super Bowl win just three years ago, and expectations were high coming into the 2019 season.

Ryan is being let down by a sub-par running game especially Devonta Freeman who is yet to find the end-zone through the ground or in the air, and is averaging a six-year career low 3.3 yards a carry. The Falcons have winnable games coming up, but they need the running game to mirror Ryan’s consistent output.

The irony of Matty Ice needing to warm up the rest of the team is not lost, but he needs to cut out the interceptions and quickly. When you have Julio Jones catching the ball you know there is a game-breaking threat available on any play.

The weapons are in place for a team to be performing better than the 1-3 record they currently boast at the quarter point, let’s just hope Ryan goes full Elsa in October.

More tanks than an aquatic superstore

Image Credit: Kirby Lee / Associated Press

The narrative before the season was that the Miami Dolphins would be tanking for Tua (Tagovailoa) and nothing has been done on the field to contradict that position. The only problem is there are three other teams vying for absolute dreadfulness and possibly a shot at the number one pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

The single most disastrous team in the NFC is the Washington Redskins, who gave their rookie QB Dwayne Haskins his first NFL regular season outing in Week 4. Poor Haskins looked out of place and frankly befuddled by a Giants defense that scares nobody. Three interceptions in relief of Case Keenum will be a hard debut game to forget for Haskins.

In the AFC the Bengals and the Broncos are also winless. At least Joe Flacco is helping Denver to be competitive. Devastating last second field-goal losses in Week 2 (v Chicago) and this past week against Jacksonville will be hard to cope with. In Ohio the Bengals are back bungling. The red rifle Andy Dalton has suffered 19 sacks in four contests and seems to be struggling making reads and avoiding pressure. Dare it be mentioned, but is it time to give fourth-round rookie Ryan Finley a shot in the stripy helmet before the mid-point of the season?

The Dolphins are still favourites to finish the season 0-16, but this is going to be a bizarre race to the finishing line with a Redskins team that will be matching Miami week by week for on-field inadequacy.

The fact they play each other in Week 6 will be entertaining, with the winner losing their grip on the keys to the tank.

Singing the praises of two superb secondaries

When you make Tom Brady look like a backup and hold a potential league MVP to no touchdowns then you need to be recognised for doing your job well.

Both the Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints secondaries excelled in Week 4, one in a six-point loss and one in a two-point win. Perhaps the biggest single difference maker was the Saints third-year corner Marshon Lattimore who punished Cowboys number one WR Amari Cooper all day. Cooper caught a season low 62.5% of balls thrown his way, had his lowest yards per target (6) and was held under 10 yards a catch for the first time in 2019.

Often corners and safeties get recognised for big plays such as the Rams Marcus Peters who returned the pigskin to the house against the Buccs on Sunday just a few plays after being burnt alive by Mike Evans for a 60 plus yard score. However, it is the performance that might not show up on the individual’s defensive stat sheet, but is instead reflected in the game’s final outcome that is the true definition of excellence.

Between the Saints and the Bills secondaries we could be looking at a couple of All Pro’s and at least four Pro Bowl nods. When you hold Tom Brady under a 50% completion rate you deserve a cheer, and was it not for the injury to Josh Allen this could have been a week where secondaries clearly decided the fate of their team.

It’s no surprise the Bills and the Saints are both 3-1. This is a passing premium league, so if you can neutralise the primary threat you stand a good chance of being alive when it comes to January.

NFC West Breakdown

Andy M, NFL

By Andy Moore – (AJMoore21)

Last Season

Los Angeles Rams – 13-3

Seattle Seahawks – 10-6

San Francisco 49ers – 4-12

Arizona Cardinals – 3-13

LA Rams:

Draft selections: Taylor Rapp (R3 P.61), Darrell Henderson (R3 P.70), David Long (R3 P.79) Bobby Evans (R3 P.97), Greg Gaines (R4 P.134), David Edwards (R5 P.169), Nick Scott (R7 P.243), Dakota Allen (R7 P.251)

Offseason key additions: Clay Matthews (Packers/FA), Dante Fowler (Re-signed), Eric Weddle (Ravens/FA)

Offseason key departures: Roger Saffold (Titans/FA), Lemarcus Joyner (Raiders/FA), Ndamukong Suh (Buccaneers/FA)

Super Bowl odds: 15/2

Analysis:

Last season ultimately ended in disappointment for the Rams, but no-one could deny that they fully deserved their place in the Super Bowl. Averaging 32.9 points a game, Sean McVay’s offense was exhilarating to watch, with Wade Philips assembling an equally impressive cast on the other side of the ball.

Expectations have only grown this time around, with both Mcvay and Jared Goff both determined to bounce back from a spluttering Super Bowl performance.

Key to that bounce back will be the continued proficiency of Todd Gurley. A lot has been written this off-season about the health of the former Georgia star’s knee, which is rumoured to be hampered by arthritis. A reduced pre-season schedule would appear to confirm something is amiss, as did the drafting of Darrell Henderson out of Memphis.

If Gurley can’t drive the offense, renewed emphasis will be placed on Goff and his receiver core. The healthy return of Cooper Kupp will be a boost, and in Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks the Rams have two of the most versatile threats in the league. The key question will come when defensive co-ordinators start to learn lessons from Bill Belichik, putting pressure on McVay to guide Goff through defensive looks he might not have seen before.

Most of the Rams key personnel losses have come on defense, with Ndamukong Suh and Lemarcus Joyner the major departures. The addition of Clay Matthews and Eric Waddle will go some way to soothing that loss, and although both players are into the twilight of their career they’ll do nothing but add a ton of experience to an already mean unit.

Look out for:

The way Sean McVay updates his playbook in the wake of a Super Bowl defeat to the Patriots will be incredibly interesting to watch. Despite a scintillating season, McVay said of the 10-3 defeat ‘I didn’t give us the chance really to have offensive production, period.” A frank omission from the man who has been hailed as the premier creative mind in the league. Expect to see that mind generate new ideas that we’ve never seen before in 2019.

Seattle Seahawks

Draft selections: LJ Collier (R1 P.29), Marquise Blair (R2 P.47), DK Metcalf (R2 P.64), Cody Barton (R3 P.88), Gary Jennings (R4 P.120), Phil Haynes (R5 P.124), Ugochukwu Amadi (R4 P.132), Ben Burr-Kiven (R5 P.142), Travis Homer (R6 P.204), Demarcus Christmas (R6 P.209), John Ursua (R7 P.236)

Offseason key additions: Ziggy Ansah [Lions/FA], Mike Iupati [Cardinals/FA], Jason Myers [Jets/FA]

Offseason key departures: Earl Thomas [Ravens/FA], Frank Clark [Chiefs/trade], Doug Baldwin [Retired], Kam Chancellor [Retired]

Super Bowl odds: 28/1

Analysis:

The Seahawks continued their transition from their storied Legion of Boom era to a new look team this offseason.

Kam Chancellor and Doug Baldwin departed off the back of serious injuries, Earl Thomas got the move he has long desired and dominant defensive-end Frank Clark was dealt to the Chiefs. New, exciting faces came through the door, Ziggy Ansah, LJ Collier and DK Metcalf are all generating a buzz in the Pacific Northwest.

It couldn’t be clearer that Pete Carroll is fully invested in rebuilding around his two prized assets, Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner. Both players signed new deals in the off-season ($140m & $54m respectively), and both are at least top five players in their position in the NFL.

If they’re going to kick on from a promising 2018 season, new players are going to have to step up. Tyler Lockett is being crowned as the receiver who will take on the role of Wilson’s primary target, Shaquill Griffin needs to establish himself as a true lockdown corner and Rashaad Penny will be looking to push past Chris Carson and justify his first-round pick.

The new additions need to contribute as well, with Ziggy Ansah’s addition standing out as particularly intriguing. The Ghanaian has two seasons with 12+ sacks, but has been hampered by injury and inconsistency. Carroll and Defensive Co-ordinator Ken Norton clearly have a track record of developing defensive talent and if they can get Ansah fit and healthy he could be a steal on his $9m ‘prove it’ deal.

There’s still a few holes in the roster, namely at Tight End and Corner, where Nick Vannett and Griffin are the best of an average bunch, but with Wilson’s versatility and Wagner’s leadership, Seahawks fans will be expecting another playoff berth.

Look out for:

Rashaad Penny – there were flashes of quality in Penny’s rookie season, 108 yards against the Rams and a 20-yard touchdown run against the 49ers the main examples, but by and large it was a disappointing campaign. Where Penny struggled, Chris Carson stepped up with a 1000-yard season as the Seahawks looked to move to a ground and pound offensive style.

Renewed emphasis has been placed on his pass protection skills this offseason, and there appears to be a plan to go with whoever is hot to the touch on any given Sunday. This can only be beneficial for Penny who might find himself firmly behind Carson if he didn’t happen to be a first rounded. Look for him put everything in when his chance comes and maybe, just maybe, grab the RB1 job.

San Francisco 49ers

Draft selections: Nick Bosa (R1 P.2), Deebo Samuel (R2 P.36), Jalen Hurd (R3 P.67), Mitch Wishnowsky (R4 P.110), Dre Greenlaw (R5 P.148), Kaden Smith (R6 P.176), Justin Skule (R6 P.183), Tim Harris (R6 P.198),

Offseason key additions: Dee Ford [Chiefs/Trade], Kwon Alexander [Buccs/FA], Tevin Coleman [Falcons/FA]

Offseason key departures: Pierre Garcon [Free Agent], Cassius Marsh [Seahawks/FA]

Super Bowl odds: 33/1

Analysis:

Kyle Shanahan is entering his third season as the Head Coach of the 49ers, and it’s fair to say the fanbase, and possibly the ownership, will want to see some improvement. Over the past two seasons the ‘Niners are 10-22 having seen injuries ravage their starters on both sides of the ball.

The Athletic reports that no team had more contract value on the injured reserve than San Fran in 2018, with key players such as Jimmy Garoppolo & Jerick McKinnon missing most or all of the season.

With those players back, and a stack of good business across the offseason, many are tipping Shanahan and go to turn things around and put together a winning season in the Bay Area.

There’s certainly merit to that argument, Nick Bosa, Dee Ford and Kwon Alexander are high quality additions, with Bosa and Ford joining DeForest Buckner on what is a now a ridiculously talented defensive line. Talent will have to turn into production quickly if that 4-12 record is going to improve, the defence only managed six sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception all year.

Offensively, anticipation is slowly building with fans looking to see what Shanahan can do with three running backs who all have RB1 potential. Tevin Coleman joins Matt Breida and McKinnon in what seems like a fantasy football player’s nightmare, in reality it will give San Fran a punch they may have lacked in recent seasons. Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd will look to compliment George Kittle as the Tight End seeks to repeat what was a monster 1377 yard season.

All that considered, perhaps the most crucial element of a successful 49ers season is the health of the franchise Quarterback. After signing a $137.5m deal in 2018, Garoppolo played in three games before tearing his ACL. There are some that have their doubts about his play, but Shanahan and the coaching staff have complete faith in the former Patriots backup and will be relying on them to carry them towards an improved record in 2019.

Look out for:

Dante Pettis – everyone is touting Pettis as a breakout star, Pete Schrager even detailing how San Francisco avoided making moves for Odell Beckham and Antonio Brown because they liked the tools possessed by their second year wide out.

Pettis’ route running is one of his most exciting traits, his burst off the line and deep ball threat only aiding that. With Samuel, Hurd and veteran Marquise Goodwin all drawing coverage with threats of their own, look for Pettis to establish himself as a dominant WR1.

Arizona Cardinals

Draft selections: Kyler Murray (R1 P.1), Byron Murphy (R2 P.33), Andy Isabella (R2 P.63), Zach Allen (R3 P.65), Hakeem Butler (R4 P.103), Deionte Thompson (R5 P.139), KeeSean Johnson (R6 P.174), Lamont Gaillard (R6 P.179), Joshua Miles (R7 P.248), Michael Dogbe (R7 P.249), Caleb Wilson (R7 P.254)

Offseason key additions: Terrell Suggs [Ravens/FA], JR Sweezy [Seahawks/FA], Jordan Hicks [Eagles/FA], Robert Alford [Falcons/FA]

Offseason key departures: Josh Rosen [Dolphins/Trade], Antoine Bethea [Giants/FA], Jermaine Gresham [Free Agent]

Super Bowl odds: 120/1

Analysis:

Not many teams hired a Head Coach that had a losing record in the NCAA last year. Not many teams traded their 2018 1^st round QB to draft a new one in 2019. The Cardinals are not however, most teams.

Kliff Kingsbury arrives in Arizona riding the wave of the Sean McVay’s revolution. His offensive mind and Air Raid scheme promise high octane thrills for the Cardinals’ faithful. The question is, can he deliver it?

First overall pick, Kyler Murray, will be the make it or break it man, and you can’t help but feel if he makes it, he could herald a real long-term change in the NFL. The undersized QB has long been an anomaly in the NFL, but with Drew Brees and Baker Mayfield setting a precedent, Murray seems to have arrived on the scene a little differently. The hype has been constant all through the offseason, and somehow it seems the media have decided he’ll be a certain success.

Whilst that remains to be seen, the Cards have done a fair bit of business to improve his receiving options. Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk have been joined by Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler in a revamped wide out group. The four-receiver set is the main stay of the Air Raid offense, and it’s fair to say all of the above players are going to need to produce a lot if the 3-13 record is going to improve.

On defence, talisman Patrick Peterson has been suspended for six games, but the addition of Robert Alford & Terrell Suggs gives the unit a couple of out and out playmakers. But it wasn’t the defence that was that bad last season.

With the NFL estimating Kingsbury’s men face the 12^th hardest schedule in 2019, will the Cards be picking near the top of the draft again next Spring? Either way, there’s an awful lot of responsibility on a 5ft 10” QB out of Oklahoma, but that sounds familiar, right?

Look out for:

David Johnson – it seems obvious to spotlight one of Arizona’s best players, but, after a disappointing campaign last year, Johnson will hope to be back to his best.

The Air Raid offense, whilst focused on the passing game, should prevent opposition defences stacking the box, giving Johnson more freedom to search for those strong power runs and allowing him to be as dangerous as ever as the pass catching back he is. Look for nearly 2000 all-purpose yards if he can stay healthy.

2019 Season Prediction

LA Rams 13-3

Seattle Seahawks 8-8

San Francisco 49ers 7-9

Arizona Cardinals 5-11

Pick it Apart; Kyler Murray

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The Draft is in the books and the dust has settled. But how well did your team do in the first round?

We are taking a look back at every selection in the first round and giving you the lowdown on the pick; Was it a reach? Was it a steal? We’ll tell you and give you the impact for fantasy football….

Pick: #1

Player: Kyler Murray, QB Oklahoma

Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals

Grade: B

Analysis: Arizona’s Front office were at a crossroad (or a roundabout, we are the UK afterall); Do they go one way and take Kyler Murray or do they go the opposite way and stick with Josh Rosen.

The Cardinals decided to go all in on Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid offence and get the guy that would be more suited to the type of offence that Arizona want to run under their new head coach.

You can debate until the cows come home whether or not the way they handled Josh Rosen’s situation was the best way (*Spoiler*: it wasn’t) but alas, he is now in the South East of America and no longer a Cardinal. One thing Kyler Murray is an upgrade on is mobility, and with the porous offensive line that wasn’t really addressed this offseason, Kyler Murray will be able to get loose and use his wheels to help alleviate the pressures coming at him. He is a guy who is good on the run with both accuracy and vision and furthermore, he has a few more pieces on the offence in Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler to throw to too. Steve Keim’s ass is on the line with this pick too and he’ll be a guy that will continue to split opinion until we see him on the field. Is he an upgrade on Rosen overall? Probably. Is he worth the sacrifice at taking #1 overall instead of their other needs? Probably not.

All in all, a big risk taken here by the Cardinals to take a mulligan on last year for a guy who only has one year of production in College, nearly opted for baseball and wore a pink suit to the draft and had to use a stepladder to pose with Roger on stage (that was real, right?). As a Kyler Murray hater (please tune in throughout the offseason and beyond to hear the hate flow through me) and guy that feels a bit sorry for Josh Rosen, I hope the Cardinals pick in the top 5 again next season.

Grass isn’t always greener folks, especially in Arizona…

Fantasy Football Impact:

I have already heard the comparisons between him and Lamar Jackson, with some saying he is a better fantasy prospect. We all know the cheatcode in most fantasy leagues is the Quarterbacks that can run. Look at Lamar, Josh Allen and Dak Prescott. So in Superflex leagues there will be most rookie drafts with Kyler going the 1.01. I think you’ll see Kyler struggle in year 1 (to be expected) but you’ll see flashes and will most certainly be a worthy streamer in redraft leagues. I don’t see him going drafted, even in the later rounds, mainly due to the depth at the position, but anyone that rushes for over 1000 yards in college with 12 rushing TDs has to be taken seriously for fantasy purposes. He has the offence to suit, the pieces around him and wont actually need a lot of time to throw the ball because I think Kliff will give him a quick read and throw type of offence and if it’s not there, run. That will negate a lot of deficiencies with the O line and it will all be then in the hands of Murray to make a play, which he can do. Kyler will look to emulate what former #1 overall pick Baker Mayfield did last year and also join the long list of decent QBs to be taken at number 1 in terms of prestige and accolades. Whilst he’s more Cam Newton or Mike Vick than Andrew Luck or Jared Goff, I don’t think Arizona fans or even some fantasy football players will mind so much as to how he does it, as long as he does.

Tomorrow: #2 Nick Bosa – San Francisco