Count Bill Barnwell among Arizona Cardinals fans, at least those with optimism entering 2024. And there’s more to that hope than a healthy Kyler Murray.
In Barnwell’s annual predictions of the five NFL teams most likely to improve, he loves Arizona. That’s great news for Jonathan Gannon and the Cardinals because Barnwell is 27-for-33 (81.8 percent) on his improvement predictions since 2017.
Murray tore an ACL in Week 14 of the 2022 season and battled back to start the Cardinals’ final eight games last year. Arizona (4-13) won four games all season but Murray led to club to three of those.
And while Arizona gets a healthy Murray hopefully for a full season, Barnwell expects the Cardinals’ defense to see a lot fewer superstars at the position.
Barnwell wrote that while other teams – such as Arizona opponents with Murray out — capitalized on facing second- and third-string quarterbacks, Arizona didn’t get those opportunities. Gannon’s defense last season faced a first-string quarterback on nearly 93 percent of dropbacks, by far most in the league. By comparison, the NFL average last season was approximately 73 percent.
Murray isn’t NFL average, either. He’s only 27 and his prime-of-career outlook is brighter than the Arizona sun. Plus, the Cardinals not only drafted Marvin Harrison fourth overall in the first round, they also feature one the league’s top tight ends in Trey McBride. Second-year wide receiver Michael Wilson is a formidable target and running back James Conner is coming off his best season.
Arizona opens the 2024 campaign with a difficult road trip to Buffalo Sept. 8.