Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Jul 25, 2019 4:12 am

Arizona Cardinals 2019 Training Camp primer

New faces: QB Kyler Murray, LB Jordan Hicks, OLB Terrell Suggs, OT Marcus Gilbert, CB Robert Alford, CB Byron Murphy, G J.R. Sweezy, DT Darius Philon, G Max Garcia, LB Brooks Reed, TE Charles Clay, DT Terrell McClain, WR Kevin White, DE Zach Allen, WR Andy Isabella, WR Hakeem Butler, QB Brett Hundley

They’re gone: QB Josh Rosen, OLB Markus Golden, LB Deone Bucannon, S Antoine Bethea, G Mike Iupati, QB Mike Glennon, DT Olsen Pierre, TE Jermaine Gresham, LB Josh Bynes, S Tre Boston

2019 snapshot

When you have a season as disastrous as Arizona’s 2018 campaign, blowing everything up and starting over is understandable. Even so, it’s hard to argue head coach Steve Wilks or Rosen deserved to be sent packing after just one year. Of course, Wilks’ replacement — Kliff Kingsbury — had everything to do with why Rosen was shipped to Miami, as Kingsbury wanted Murray to run his Air Raid offense.

Many might prefer Murray to Rosen, but Rosen was widely viewed as the better prospect coming out of college, and a horrible supporting cast did him no favors in 2018. More importantly, the Cardinals could have had Rosen and Nick Bosa (or Quinnen Williams), but instead wound up with Murray and Isabella (the 62nd pick in return for Rosen). It’s difficult to agree with that tradeoff.

Arizona also churned the roster elsewhere, adding three players (Alford, Reed, Clay) before free agency even began, reinforcing the offensive line with Gilbert (via trade) and Sweezy (free agency) and adding Hicks and Suggs to a defense that slipped last season. The draft brought all sorts of potential contributors, with Murphy, Allen, Isabella and Butler all having a chance to grab a role early, and Murray very likely to start.

Worth the investment?

–If you believe in the coach-QB combo, go right ahead with the over on Arizona’s 5.5-win total. The defense and offensive line should be at least marginally improved, and Murray could win a game or two on his own.

–Would you rather take Murray or David Johnson (both at +6600) as a longshot to win MVP? Given Johnson got zero votes after a transcendent 2016 campaign, we’d lean heavily toward Murray.

Bottom line

Kingsbury and Murray must hit for Steve Keim’s risky offseason to be a success, which is far from a certainty. The Cardinals should be fascinating but most likely not major factors in 2019.

–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)

You may also like

Apr 27, 2022 8:57 am

Giants go for 2-game sweep of crosstown rival A’s

The San Francisco Giants will look to further close the gap in their all-time rivalry with the visiting Oakland Athletics when they seek a second straight win Wednesday night in…

Apr 27, 2022 8:42 am

Guardians, slumping Franmil Reyes take on Shohei Ohtani’s Angels

The Cleveland Guardians and Los Angeles Angels will play the third game of their four-game series Wednesday night in Anaheim, Calif., as the Guardians try to rediscover their offense. Cleveland’s…

Apr 27, 2022 8:35 am

Playoff-bound Kings seek to keep Kraken reeling

The Los Angeles Kings are playoff-bound for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Kings (43-27-10, 96 points) punched their postseason ticket Tuesday night when Dallas defeated Vegas in…

More Archive News

Apr 27, 2022 8:57 am

Giants go for 2-game sweep of crosstown rival A’s

The San Francisco Giants will look to further close the gap in their all-time rivalry with the visiting Oakland Athletics when they seek a second straight win Wednesday night in…

Apr 27, 2022 8:42 am

Guardians, slumping Franmil Reyes take on Shohei Ohtani’s Angels

Apr 27, 2022 8:35 am

Playoff-bound Kings seek to keep Kraken reeling

Apr 27, 2022 8:17 am

Six-man rotation kicks in as Astros, Cristian Javier face Rangers

Apr 27, 2022 8:08 am

Jason Robertson, Stars can lock up playoff berth vs. Coyotes

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds