Five losses in their final seven games took the Arizona Cardinals from 6-3 to 8-8 and out of the playoffs last season. A shoulder injury for quarterback Kyler Murray clearly affected the offense down the stretch, as the running aspect of his game largely went away.
The Cardinals were 13th in scoring offense last season (25.6 points per game), and sixth in total offense (384.6 yards per game). They had the seventh in rush offense (139.8 yards per game) and 17th in passing offense (244.8 yards per game). That rushing number is deceiving though. Murray accounted for 51.2 rushing yards per game, and 11 of their 22 rushing touchdowns.
Running back Kenyan Drake had 10 rushing scores himself last season. But his overall stat line was not impressive (239 carries for 955 yards; 4.0 yards per carry). He’s also a free agent, as the Cardinals wisely didn’t buy into his run down the stretch of 2019 with a long-term deal.
DeAndre Hopkins had a great first season with the Cardinals (115 receptions, 1,407 yards, six touchdowns). But the next most productive pass catchers on the team didn’t get near Hopkins’ production.
Larry Fitzgerald: 54 receptions for 409 yards, one touchdown
Chase Edmonds: 53 receptions for 402 yards, four touchdowns
Christian Kirk: 48 receptions for 621 yards, six touchdowns
Fitzgerald is a free agent, and the possibility of retirement lingers again this offseason. It would be nice to see Edmonds get more work, but he’ll at least have a role in the passing game. Kirk has been too up-and-down to be counted on as the No. 2 wide receiver.
Mike Clay of ESPN has posted a piece predicting where some free agents will land (with a fantasy tilt, as expected). For the Cardinals, he offered two interesting signings.
Chris Carson and Antonio Brown.
Carson has an 1,100-yard season (2018) and a 1,200-yard season on his resume with the Seattle Seahawks. He’s coming off a down 2020 (681 yards in 12 games), and the Seahawks seem ready to let him go in free agency.
Brown landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last offseason. After serving a suspension, he was a good soldier by all accounts. He was also fairly productive-45 catches in eight regular season games and two touchdown catches in the playoffs. A return to Tampa feels likely, but other teams should have interest.
Along with more imaginative play-calling, the Cardinals need more offensive weapons around Murray. Carson and Brown would be two low-key excellent signings, assuming Carson can be healthy and Brown can avoid distractions.
