Cardinals likely to have choice of top two NFL draft prospects

The Cardinals could have their choice of stud defenders Will Anderson or Jalen Carter.

For as miserable as the 2022 season was for the Arizona Cardinals and their fans, there is certainly a consolation prize following the series of Week 18 events that granted the team the No. 3 overall pick.

Currently, the Chicago Bears own the No. 1 overall pick followed by the Texans at No. 2. The Texans are almost certain to take a quarterback, but the Bears remain a mystery and could end up benefiting the Cardinals.

With Chicago already having an ascending young quarterback in Justin Fields, the team could look to take a top defensive player at No. 1, or they could trade the pick for a king’s ransom to rebuild a depleted roster.

Many betting sites currently have the Bears as favored to trade the pick, which would make a ton of sense for an organization that needs an influx of talent on both sides of the ball.

Chicago could move back only a few spots for a quarterback-needy team like the Colts, or they could get a huge haul from a team farther back in the draft order. Either way, it certainly is an option that will be heavily considered by the Bears.

For the Cardinals, this scenario would almost certainly net them the choice of the top two prospects in Alabama’s Will Anderson and Georgia’s Jalen Carter. Both are the 1A and 1B of top prospects in the draft and having the choice of the two would be an absolute luxury.

Should the Bears opt to take one of the two with the first pick, the Cardinals would still be left with the other with the Texans set to draft a quarterback.

Both positions are needs for the team. Will Anderson is an elite edge rusher and Jalen Carter is a dominant interior defensive lineman. With the team losing both Chandler Jones and J.J. Watt in the last calendar year, both prospects fit a position of need.

Whether it be Anderson or Carter, the Cardinals are in a great spot.

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Sean Payton already has a past connection with the Cardinals

Sean Payton revealed Monday he used to work for the Cardinals organization amidst rumors that he may coach the team in the near future.

The Arizona Cardinals and former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton are continuing to find themselves paired with one another on social media.

Last week, it was reported that Payton had his sights set on the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers, should either job become available.

The Cardinals are in the midst of a miserable season and coaching staff changes could be in the team’s future next month unless they show a drastic turnaround.

The four-win season to this point has led to speculation about Payton possibly coming to the Cardinals prior to these reports of his interest. On Monday, the Payton to Arizona momentum continued to build.

He joined Colin Cowherd’s The Herd on Monday to talk about the NFL weekend and began discussing the recent Cardinals-Chargers game. Payton mentioned he used to be a ball boy for the team when the team was with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Payton mentioned that he continued with the organization for a bit and became more involved during the days of Neil Lomax. He appeared to be very familiar with the Bidwill family.

“I think I know that family well enough,” Payton said of the Bidwill family.

It’s also worth noting that while he was very critical of other teams, he was non-committal when Cowherd asked negative questions about the Cardinals. He deferred to other teams’ struggles in the segment and did not say anything negative about the team on national radio.

Perhaps that’s reading too much into it, but there appears to be a connection between Payton and the Cardinals. There are many steps that need to happen for that pairing to become a reality, but it appears to be trending in the right direction.

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Rondale Moore excited to prove Cardinals’ doubters wrong, improve upon 2021

Second-year wideout Rondale Moore is ready to help take the Cardinals’ passing attack to greater heights in 2022.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rondale Moore, the second year receiver out of Purdue, is headed towards an expanded role this season.

Following the departure of Christian Kirk in free agency, the slot receiver position is assumed to be Moore’s to take over. Last season, Moore started off strong but didn’t have those same results late in the season, as most on the team struggled past December.

Appearing on The Jim Rome Show, Moore expressed his excitement to prove that the team’s true identity is the dominant 2021 team that was No. 1 in the NFL prior to injuries. He believes they may even be better.

“We want to show that we can finish and that we’re still the same Cardinals that we were at the beginning of last year and we’ve gotten even better,” Moore said.

Moore is anticipating an even greater role during the first six games of the regular season, knowing he is a huge part to proving that the Cardinals are, and were, legitimate contenders.

With receiver DeAndre Hopkins suspended for the first six games of the upcoming season, Moore knows a ton of the weight falls on his shoulders to help lead the passing attack.

“My approach is the same – continue to get better…continue to put wins on tape and hopefully the pigskin comes my way,” he said.

Both head coach Kliff Kingsbury and assistant head coach Shawn Jefferson have publicly stated the team will have a much more detailed route tree for Moore in 2022. He’ll be an integral part of the team’s offensive success.

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Cardinals DC Vance Joseph not mentioned in PFF’s top defensive playcallers list

Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was left out of PFF’s list of top defensive playcallers.

Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was initially scrutinized by fans after the team had an abysmal defense in 2019. Part of this was due to scheme issues, but more so a lack of talent on that side of the ball.

Since then, Joseph’s defense has continuously improved until at one point last season, they were easily a top-five unit in the league. When the Cardinals had a healthy J.J. Watt paired with Chandler Jones up front, the team was elite at taking the ball away.

Pro Football Focus released their top defensive playcallers in the NFL and Joseph did not make the cut.

Joseph is highly regarded in the league circles as he received serious head coach considerations by the Miami Dolphins prior to hiring Mike McDaniel. When healthy last season, his defense was one of the best. Still, he did not make the list.

Those included in this list included Leslie Frazier, Dan Quinn, Dennis Allen, Raheem Morris, Josh Boyer and Joe Berry.

Part of the defensive improvement since Joseph’s hiring is certainly the improved personnel. This year, however, the defense lost a few key pieces and the front office has yet to replace them. Joseph’s ability to maintain continuity without the likes of Chandler Jones, Jordan Hicks and potentially Robert Alford.

Joseph’s main criticism from some fans has been his lack of using the team’s previous two first-round selections during their rookie years, those being linebackers Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons. In last year’s playoff game against the Rams, both were seemingly limited in playing time.

The Cardinals are going to need Joseph to help replicate the successes from last season, possibly without a No. 1 edge rusher and other question marks on the roster.

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Cardinals D-line has ‘question marks at multiple positions’ per PFF

Pro Football Focus ranked the Cardinals as the 27th best defensive line in the NFL.

The Arizona Cardinals’ defensive front was one of the team’s biggest strengths during the first half of the 2021 season. Chandler Jones, J.J. Watt and Markus Golden were all playing at a high level.

Flash forward to 2022. Chandler Jones is currently in Las Vegas playing for the Raiders. J.J. Watt and Markus Golden remain but the team has yet to find a veteran replacement for losing the team’s All-time leader in sacks.

In their tiers ranking all 32 defensive lines in the NFL, Pro Football Focus ranked their unit 27th in the league. They were in the tier of “question marks at multiple positions.”

The Cardinals are asking two rookies — Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders — to replace Chandler Jones‘ production on the edge. That’s no easy task. Jones recorded a PFF pass-rushing grade above 84.0 in four of his six seasons with the Cardinals. J.J. Watt is still in the fold as an impact player up front, as his 18.3% pass-rush win rate when healthy last season ranked fifth among all interior defensive linemen with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps, but staying healthy has been the issue for Watt as he enters his 12th NFL season.

They aren’t wrong that the team is asking a ton out of two third-round rookies to replicate the production from Jones. Perhaps they will make a big move at the position before the start of the regular season, but they have given no indication at doing that yet.

With an extremely young cornerback and inside linebacker room, they would greatly benefit from doing so.

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Zach Ertz says Kyler Murray is the most talented player he’s ever been around

Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz was very complimentary of his quarterback earlier this week.

When the Arizona Cardinals acquired three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz from the Philadelphia Eagles last October, they had their best offense in years. They had a complete arsenal of three wide receivers, a Pro Bowl running back, a solid offensive line and then a great tight end.

One of the reasons Ertz loved the idea of coming to Arizona was their quarterback, Kyler Murray. At the time, he was the leading MVP candidate and was playing elite football. Ertz also saw Murray have one of his better games of the 2020 season when the Eagles traveled to the desert.

Appearing on the Dave Pasch podcast, Ertz reiterated his faith in his quarterback’s ability. Pasch asked how Murray was similar and/or different to the quarterbacks Ertz has played with in the past.

“Kyler is the most talented player I’ve ever been around, period,” he said. “There is nothing he cannot do on a football field. He can be like Lamar Jackson and take off for 100-plus yards a game or, in my opinion, he can sit in the pocket and not even worry about his legs.”

One of the most encouraging aspects to Murray’s play in year three was his improvement in the passing game, particularly in the middle of the field. For the first few months, his running ability was what it should be – a luxury.

That’s exactly how Ertz described Murray’s game from last season.

“In his ideal situation, he doesn’t leave the pocket,” he said. “For me, as a pass catcher, I love playing with a quarterback like that. He just wants to play on time, in rhythm and he wants to get the ball out of his hands and to his guys.

“But he knows that he has the luxury if the play is breaking down, he can take off. For me, Kyler is the most talented player I’ve ever been around.”

He did mention Andrew Luck, his college quarterback, to be the best pure quarterback he’s ever been around in his experience, but mentioned Kyler has the potential to get to that point. Luck, who retired extraordinarily early a few seasons ago, was one of the game’s best.

The Cardinals signed Zach Ertz to a three-year extension after he tied the franchise’s record for receptions by a tight end in only 11 games. He did not play with the team until week seven.

It’s safe to say that record is in huge danger of being broken again.

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Cardinals should inquire about Bears All-Pro OLB Robert Quinn

With Bears All-Pro edge rusher Robert Quinn rumored to be traded, the Cardinals should definitely make a call.

The vibe around the Arizona Cardinals has been strange this offseason. Sure, they traded for wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown during Day 1 of the NFL Draft. That came after a quiet and underwhelming free agency period that saw the team lose edge rusher Chandler Jones, the team’s all-time franchise leader in sacks, and not replace him.

The Cardinals and their fans were back to being happy for about four days. All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins was announced to be suspended for the first six games of the regular season. Weeks later, the team tragically lost one of their starters in cornerback Jeff Gladney.

News broke Tuesday morning that center Rodney Hudson was not present for mandatory minicamp. There is speculation that he may retire from the NFL, which would be another massive blow to the Cardinals.

The team must make another impact move that makes the team significantly better and brings up the energy surrounding the team. One way they could possibly do that is by calling the Chicago Bears about All-Pro edge rusher Robert Quinn.

Quinn has had a career resurgence with the Bears after a couple of down years with the Rams and Dolphins. He had 11.5 sacks with the Cowboys in 2019 which earned him a massive contract from the Bears. Last season, he had a whopping 18.5 sacks.

The 2021 second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection was incredible last season on a Bears team that wasn’t very good. He also operated as the sole pass rusher for the majority of the season after Khalil Mack missed most of the season.

Quinn did not report to Bears’ mandatory minicamp amidst trade rumors that have been running all offseason. CBS Sports reported his desire to get a change of scenery and not be on a rebuilding team. The Bears, after shipping away Khalil Mack, are very obviously looking to acquire draft capital for their aging standouts.

Outside of drafting two rookies in the third round, the Cardinals did nothing by way of replacing Chandler Jones in free agency. Quinn, who is roughly the same age, would fill the void of an elite edge rusher. When Jones and J.J. Watt were both healthy early in the season, the Cardinals defense was elite.

While it may not make sense to some to let Jones walk and bring in another edge rusher of the same age (32), perhaps the Cardinals didn’t want to let him go. Jones did previously mention in an interview that he thought a lot about staying with the Cardinals, which doesn’t sound like them just letting him walk.

Robert Quinn, coming off the best season of his career, would make the Cardinals’ defense exponentially better. Due to his age, it’s probable he could be had for a mid-round pick in next year’s draft. He has a cap hit of $17 million this season but a portion of that would have to be paid by the Bears.

Despite their lack of aggressiveness in free agency, the Cardinals have money to spend. This would be a wise way to use it.

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Cardinals and CB Robert Alford in contact regarding potential return

Robert Alford was arguably the team’s best man-to-man corner last season. He and the team are talking through a reunion.

Last season, cornerback Robert Alford returned to the Arizona Cardinals on a one-year deal after a frustrating sequence of injuries. The former Atlanta Falcon initially signed with the Cardinals in 2019 on a multi-year deal, but never took a regular season snap with the team until last season.

In 2021, Alford was playing excellent football for the Cardinals after vowing to prove the team right for signing him two years ago. Unfortunately, Alford suffered a season-ending injury late in the year, a loss that heavily contributed to their struggles in the secondary.

Alford visited with the team back in March, but did not sign a deal. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury was asked about the possibility of bringing back Alford for his fourth season in the desert after Monday’s practice during OTAs.

“We’ve been in contact with Rob,” he told reporters. “We’ll see how that plays out.”

Kingsbury also added that following the tragic loss of Jeff Gladney, the team is looking to bring in multiple veteran cornerbacks before training camp.

“We’re always trying to improve our roster and thats a position where we’d like to bring in a few more veteran players, if we could, before training camp,” he said.

Bringing back Alford makes a ton of sense. He played well last year and the team has question marks at the position. He knows the system and could quickly be brought back up to full speed.

Based on Kingsbury’s comments, it sounds like a potential signing of Alford doesn’t prevent them from adding more at the cornerback room. Behind ascending young players Byron Murphy and Marco Wilson, the Cardinals have little by way of depth at the position.

Among the top remaining free agent cornerbacks are Joe Haden, Janoris Jenkins and Trae Waynes.

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Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins will be ‘full go’ in training camp

Cardinals’ All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins is set to return at full strength for training camp next month, according to head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

The Arizona Cardinals’ extraordinarily promising season took a turn for the worst when All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins suffered a season-ending MCL injury against the Los Angeles Rams. This was following a serious hamstring injury against the Packers in October.

Where there was some chatter of Hopkins returning for the postseason, that was more of a dream than anything. He was seen Monday during OTAs still rehabbing. Hopkins is now expected to be ready for training camp. Of course, he’ll have an extra six games to rest if needed following his six game suspension.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury met with the media on Monday and expressed full confidence in the Cardinals getting their star receiver back next month.

“He’s been moving around well and I think he’s right on schedule,” he said. “He’ll be a full go for training camp.”

Kingsbury also mentioned they’ll be smart with him in training camp and when he is eligible to return after week six. Getting one of the best receivers in the game back at midseason at full strength will be a shot in the arm for the team.

While losing your best player is certainly not ideal, the Cardinals have firepower to hold down the fort until Hopkins returns. Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Zach Ertz and James Conner are plenty to work with for six games.

Hopkins’ return will come on Thursday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints, an excellent opportunity for him and the Cards to show how dominant their offense can be.

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Cardinals QB Kyler Murray absent from Monday’s OTAs

As players took the field Monday for the final week of OTAs, star quarterback Kyler Murray was not present.

All eyes have been on Kyler Murray this offseason, as he and the Arizona Cardinals have been subject of contract extension rumors.

The star quarterback reported to the first day of OTAs last week, but was absent as players took the field on Monday. It is the final week of voluntary workouts, as next week the Cardinals will hold mandatory minicamp, to which Murray is expected to attend.

Murray was not the only prominent veteran to miss Monday’s practice, as fellow stars Hollywood Brown, Zach Ertz, Rodney Hudson, Isaiah Simmons and Byron Murphy were also not in attendance.

While the national media has overreacted on contract rumors surrounding Murray all offseason, an extension is expected to get done this year. Following the flurry of lucrative deals to other star quarterbacks in the past few months, Murray’s price tag has certainly increased since his agent’s initial proposal in February.

In particular, the Browns record-breaking five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract with Deshaun Watson shook the quarterback market, especially given his massive legal issues.

The Cardinals would be wise to get the contract done before the quarterback market inevitably continues to increase, as other stars like Russell Wilson are looking to be extended in the near future.

All appears good to this point between the Cardinals and Murray. He is their long term quarterback.

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