Cardinals loaded with offensive talent for 2020
The Arizona Cardinals are going to be worth the price of admission in 2020.
After going 5-10-1 last season, the team is primed for success behind the duo of second-year quarterback Kyler Murray and head coach Kliff Kingsbury. While there’s not a ton of experience between them, the early returns suggest a long-term partnership could be in the offing.
Last year, Murray won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors by throwing for 3,722 yards and 20 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. Those stats aren’t eye-popping in this age, but considering he was behind the league’s worst offensive line, they’re impressive for a youngster.
Now, the Cardinals are giving him help. They landed left tackle Josh Jones in the third round of the draft. This after placing the franchise tag on running back Kenyan Drake and making a blockbuster trade for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Suddenly, Arizona is brimming with talent. Hopkins is signed for three more years and could get an extension to make him more correctly paid. Larry Fitzgerald may be entering his final season but remains a quality asset, having caught 75 passes for 804 yards and four touchdowns last year.
Coming over from Houston, Hopkins nabbed 104 passes for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. Somehow, that was a down year for him.
Then there’s Drake, who can’t be overlooked. The former Miami Dolphins running back was dynamite in eight games for Arizona last season, rushing for 643 yards and eight touchdowns on 6.2 yards per carry. He also caught 28 passes for 171 yards, showcasing a multi-faceted skill set.
Despite being given the tag instead of a long-term deal, Drake insists there won’t be any issues with him going into training camp. Per the team’s official website:
“With them tagging me, it wasn’t really a slap in the face or anything,” Drake said. “They wanted to get a gauge on my market and everything happened how it did. With me signing the tag, it put me in a pretty decent position from a financial standpoint, especially amongst my fellow running backs. I’m fortunate they saw in me what I see in myself, and hopefully we can continue to work on a long-term deal in the future.”
