On The Clock: 2023 Arizona Cardinals

With the GM and Head Coach gone, the Cardinals have to start a new campaign.  Rebuilding a franchise should be Arizona's first Call of Duty.  They need to team up and work together in order to get back to the top of a competitive NFL West.  Okay, enough with the video game references, but in all honesty, the Cardinals have a bunch of problems to solve, and they are not "one player away" from solving this dumpster fire. 

2022 Record:4-13
​GM: Monti Ossenfort
HC: Vacant
OC: Vacant
DC: Vance Joseph

Statistical Leaders:

Offense: 21st Scoring
Kyler Murray 66.4%, 2368 14-7, 67-418-3
James Connor 183-782-7
Marquise Brown 67-709-3
DeAndre Hopkins 64-717-3
Defense: 31st Scoring
Budda Baker 111 Tak, 2 Int
Jalen Thompson 110 Tak, 8 PD
JJ Watt 12 Sacks, 18 TFL
Zach Allen 10 TFL

Notable Free Agents:

Pos, Name, Age, Contract Status, 2022 Snap Count
LG - Justin Pugh (33), UFA, 21.8%
RT - Kelvin Beachum (34), UFA, 97.9%
RG - Will Hernandez (28), UFA, 70.1%

Draft Picks:

(8) Projected Cost of Rookie Picks in 2023: $14m
Round 1 #3
Round 2 #34
Round 3 #66
Round 3 #96
Round 4 #105
Round 5 #169
Round 6 #180
Round 6 #213

Salary Cap:

The Arizona Cardinals have found themselves in a very unenviable position heading into the 2023 off-season.  They are currently 14.5m under the cap with 49 rostered players, but that is not the big issue.  The fact that they just have enough cap space to sign their draft picks isn’t the problem either.  The fact that half their line are free agents (and collecting AARP cards) isn’t their biggest problem.  Their biggest problem is the 5’10” signal caller who won’t be back on the field until mid-season.  Oh, and they don’t have a head coach either.  The fact that Sean Payton didn’t want to coach Kyler Murray says a lot about the Cardinals situation as well.  DeAndre Hopkins is set to make 30m next season at the age of 31, but not a lot can be done if he doesn’t have anyone to throw him the ball.   ​

Restructure/Re-sign:

Depending on the ability to extend or restructure Hopkins will be the highlight of this off-season for the Cardinals.  Being on the north side of 30 doesn’t give Arizona a lot of negotiation room if they wish to extend him, plus, he will have to be willing to do so. Murray is set to make 16m in 2023 and won’t see the field until mid-season and DJ Humphries is due 17.8m, but the Cardinals have some room for him.  Humphries is due an 8m roster bonus in 2023.  What the Cardinals can do is build a voided year into his contract and convert that roster bonus to a signing bonus.  Humphries gets 8m before the season even starts, and Arizona can clear 6m more on the 2023 cap.  

Free Agency/Draft:

Arizona has 8 picks in this upcoming draft and depending on the status of Murray (and whoever the Head Coach will be) will determine how they will approach the draft.  They have to get younger at a lot of positions and they have to be patient with their rebuild if they hope to contend in a competitive NFC West. The best bet for the Cardinals would be to solidify the defensive front (with the departure of JJ Watt) so they can give the second and third levels of the defense time to gel under Vance Joseph.  However, still looking for a coach.  Anyone?