The Arizona Cardinals have invested significant capital into the wide receiver position in the past few years. In the past two seasons alone, they’ve used a first and second-round pick on two of their starting wide receivers this season. The latter, of course, was used to select Purdue’s Rondale Moore in 2021.
Moore had an electrifying start to the season. He played a ton of snaps against the Titans and had one of the best plays of the season with his 77-yard touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings.
Gradually, however, Moore’s playing time and usage seemed to decline. At first it seemed to just be result of a loaded receiving room, but became more questionable following the loss of DeAndre Hopkins for the season.
Moore spoke to the media on Wednesday to talk about a frustrating second-half of the season and his outlook moving forward.
“I think every player in this league wants to be the guy and I think I speak for everyone when I say you want to go out and catch as many footballs as you can,” he said. “You just continue to keep the same pressure you had on yourself as a kid trying to make it here. For me, the grind stays the same.”
Moore is expected to take over the starting slot receiver role left by Christian Kirk. With Hopkins and Marquise Brown drawing attention on the outside, Moore is expected to get a ton of targets.
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury teased a new role for Moore in 2022 when he spoke on Wednesday.
“We kind of got it to him in space and did some things and used him on some checkdowns but he’s a dynamic route-runner and I think that’s what people are going to see,” he said. “He’s really good getting out of his cuts, good at the tougher routes and so I think people are going to see a different side of him.”
Kyler Murray avoid the pressure, buys some time, and launches one to rookie WR Rondale Moore. 77-yard TD. pic.twitter.com/OpXelsc6da
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 19, 2021
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