TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals just finished the season with a 4-13 record, the exact same record they recorded in 2022.
But there is little doubt that they have made some progress.
The Cardinals’ first season under coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monty Ossenfort began Sunday, when Cardinals kicker Matt Prater missed a 51-yard field goal on the final play to give the Seattle Seahawks a 21-20 lead. It ended with a loss. The game was a microcosm of Arizona’s season, competitive, entertaining, but ultimately disappointing.
“We set the standard,” Gannon said. “The coaches coached and worked on it every day. Of course, this record is not what we wanted and that’s on me, but the team-first mentality throughout the locker room never wavered and I feel very good about it.” “Move forward.” ”
Reconstruction will now begin in earnest.
Ossenfort will receive two first-round picks, including the No. 4 overall pick, and the No. 11 overall pick in April’s draft. With plenty of cap space, the Cardinals should be able to be more aggressive in the free agent market.
Perhaps most importantly, Arizona has buy-in from quarterback Kyler Murray. The 26-year-old, who signed a five-year contract worth $230.5 million before the 2022 season, successfully returned midseason from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
He passed for 1,799 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, while also showing the running ability that helped him become the No. 1 overall pick out of Oklahoma in 2019. The Cardinals were much more competitive when he played, finishing 3-5 in those games. game.
“It was a complete 180 and I’m happy with it,” Murray said of his new coaching staff. “I’m happy with my current position and looking forward to next season.”
Corner hit 1,000
A nice surprise for the Cardinals in the final game of the season was veteran James Conner rushing for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his seven-year career.
The 28-year-old rushed for a season-high 150 yards and 1,040 yards against the Seahawks on Sunday. He achieved results despite missing four games in the middle of the season due to a knee injury.
Conner is reaching an age where many running backs start to slow down, but he seems to be on the rise.
“It’s all about recovery and nutrition, so I think he’ll be able to play 17 games for years to come,” Connor said. “I have a whole team: a chef, a massage, everything that helps you. 29 is not a year. I’m 28. I’ll be 29 in May. My best years are yet to come. I’m not here. I’m a big fan of (former NFL running back) Fred Taylor, who had 1,000 yards at age 30. I’m committed. If the Lord is willing, It’s going to work out.”
mcbride rising
Second-year tight end Trey McBride was perhaps the team’s biggest surprise, growing from an interesting project to one of the team’s most important playmakers.
The 6-foot-4, 246-pounder had 81 catches for 825 yards and three touchdowns, including one in Sunday’s final game. on a reception 8 yards behind the end zone. In the fourth quarter.
It capped off one of the most productive seasons in franchise history.
“We took one small step this year, and now we want to take another one. So we just keep growing, keep building relationships with these guys, and just come back next year ready to rock and roll,” McBride said. said. Be a better leader and everything will be better. ”
Deciding on the offensive line
The Cardinals received some bad news late in the season. They lost starting left tackle DJ Humphries to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Humphries, 30, has been a mainstay for the past few seasons, but change could be coming. Humphries has a big contract and given the timing of his injury, he will likely be out for a significant portion of 2024.
Rookie Paris Johnson Jr. had a great first season at right tackle. The No. 6 overall pick in last year’s draft is likely to be a candidate to move to the left side if the Cardinals decide to move on from Humphries.
“Paris is the real deal. He’s legit. He’s a good friend of mine and a great teammate,” offensive lineman Will Hernandez said. “His progression has been crazy. You wouldn’t expect that from a top-10 pick, but even a top-10 pick can improve a lot, and he did. He’s smart and will continue to do that. It will continue. You haven’t seen all of Paris yet, you haven’t seen all that he can do.”
next step
Gannon and Ossenfort did a good job establishing the Cardinals’ culture in their first year. Right now, Arizona needs more talent.
This team needs help in several areas, the most obvious spots being at receiver and the defensive line.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
David Brandt, Associated Press
