The 2023 season could be a very difficult one for the Arizona Cardinals. They are under new management with Monti Ossenfort taking over as general manager and Jonathan Gannon being hired as head coach.
Those two have their work cut out for them as the Cardinals have arguably the weakest roster in the NFL. Their outlook is even bleaker for the 2023 season should quarterback Kyler Murray not be able to get on the field as he recovers from an ACL injury suffered last season.
Without Murray under center, this offense could struggle to move the ball as Colt McCoy is in line to be the starter. Things aren’t looking much better defensively, which is likely why the Cardinals are projected to land the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Jordan Reid of ESPN recently put together a mock draft for 2024 and using ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Cardinals land the No. 1 pick. With that pick, Reid has them making a somewhat shocking selection, going with USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
“The junior is a problem-solver as a passer, seemingly always making the right play, even in adverse situations. And when playing within the confines of the offense, Williams has an explosive and compact release that enables him to make all types of throws. He threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdown passes last season.”
There would be major financial implications from trying to move on from Murray in 2024, as he has a cap hit of $51.9 million and a ton of dead cap would be on the books. However, he was the franchise quarterback of the last regime, so if Ossenfort and Gannon like Williams enough, they should pull the trigger and figure out the financials after.
Williams looked special with Lincoln Riley when taking over the starting job as a freshman and has not slowed down since following him to USC. A new regime is always looking to put their stamp on a franchise and selecting Williams would qualify for his duo.
In a fortunate turn of events for the franchise, they also land the No. 2 pick in the draft. They own the first-round pick of the Houston Texans from a trade made during the 2023 NFL Draft, and in this projection, they finish with the second-worst record in the league.
Looking to continue revamping the offense, Reid projects that the Cardinals will use that selection on star Ohio State wide receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr. He would provide Williams, or whoever is under center, with a No. 1 receiver for years to come as many draft analysts believe he would have been the first pass catcher off the board this year.
“A strong argument could be made that Harrison is the best overall prospect in the 2024 class, and the Cardinals are starved for talent and lack a true go-to target in the offense. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he has an outstanding blend of size, reliable hands and body control. He finished last season with 14 touchdown receptions, the fourth-best mark in the FBS, and is now expected to be an even bigger part of the Buckeyes’ offensive attack in 2023. Harrison reminds me of A.J. Green coming out of Georgia in the 2011 draft.”
Adding two weapons like that would provide Ossenfort and Gannon with a foundation to move forward offensively. Given Gannon’s expertise on the defensive side of the ball, reshaping the offense in that manner in the 2024 NFL Draft would be a home run. You can never go wrong filling what is considered the two biggest needs on the roster with premium draft picks.
