The Arizona Cardinals made great strides offensively in 2019 after a historically bad unit in 2018. With the addition of receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the hope is that they will be even better.
In fact optimism is high. After being a middling offensive unit statistically, Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield projects them to be a top-10 unit in 2020.
He ranks them ninth in the league.
If you are going to take a wild swing on an offense vastly improving from 2019 to 2020, the Arizona Cardinals are the team to take a swing on. Kyler Murray, in his rookie season, had his struggles but there were more than enough flashes to believe that he can be the quarterback the Cardinals hoped he would become when they made him the first overall selection. In addition, the system installed under Kliff Kingsbury, relying heavily on 10 offensive personnel, created opportunities for receivers like Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, but also some favorable boxes to run against for Kenyan Drake.
Now, they have added DeAndre Hopkins, one of the game’s truly elite receivers, to the fold. Meaning that the Cardinals could roll out a 10 personnel package with Fitzgerald, Kirk, Hopkins and KeeSean Johnson or Andy Isabella at the wide receiver spots and Drake in the backfield. That is a package that will truly stress defenses. When you add to that how spread out the field will be – and what Murray can then do with his legs – this is going to be a tough offense to defend.
The running game was very good over the last half of the season. The addition of Hopkins will give Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk better looks. Murray will be better as a passer.
This is what Kliff Kingsbury was hired to do — turn the pathetic unit of 2018 into a top offense. Things are in place to do that in 2020.
The question that remains is if the defense will improve enough for the offensive gains to matter. That will determine the Cardinals’ 2020 success.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
Ep. 267
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Ep. 266
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