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Arizona Cardinals 2020 Season Preview: Taking The Next Step

Expectations rise in second year of Kliff Kingsbury, Kyler Murray era


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The Cardinals’ bold plan to pair a freshly-fired college coach with an undersized quarterback in 2019 went exactly as hoped.

Kliff Kingsbury helped revive a moribund offense with his innovative schematics, and Kyler Murray proved to be the ideal trigger man on his way to Offensive Rookie of the Year.

QB Kyler Murray (left), WR DeAndre Hopkins and the Cardinals are among the most intriguing teams in the NFL heading into 2020. (Photo Illustration by Arizona Cardinals)

The Cardinals only won five games a season ago but made noticeable strides in Kingsbury’s inaugural campaign. The expectations have been ratcheted up in 2020, as the blockbuster trade for wide receiver, DeAndre Hopkins and reinforcements on defense have made the playoffs an attainable goal.

The Cardinals look like a team on the rise, and beginning with the season opener on Sept. 13 against the 49ers, will have their chance to prove it.

“We just want to take a step forward,” Kingsbury said. “We felt like we made some progress at the back end of last year as a team, even in our practice processes and how we did things. We’re hoping to build off that this year and put a better product out there.”

Much of the success will be contingent on a breakout from Murray, who hopes to find the same type of second-season stardom as Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson before him.

Murray has made the necessary progress in training camp to foreshadow a successful campaign but played it coy when asked to relay his team expectations for 2020.

“I’ll keep that inside,” Murray said.

Others aren’t as bashful, as veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson has called this year’s group “probably the best football team I’ve been a part of on paper.

The Cardinals are amped up for the season, but also know they must battle two opponents every week due to the presence of COVID-19.

So far, teams have done a fantastic job following protocols – the Cardinals did not register a positive test in training camp — leading to confidence the campaign will be played.

“You look back a few weeks ago, and you don’t know if we were going to get to this point,” guard J.R. Sweezy said. “To be here, to be getting ready for Week 1, it’s an exciting time. I’m really looking forward to it.”

2020 Offensive Preview

PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB Kyler Murray – The two most recent Most Valuable Players – Mahomes and Jackson – each took huge leaps in their second NFL seasons to win that hardware. Murray is expected to improve in Year 2, but by how much? If he can move into the upper echelon of quarterbacks, the Cardinals’ emergence could be faster than projected.

WR DeAndre Hopkins – The Cardinals’ offense made major strides last season despite the absence of a true No. 1 receiver. Hopkins immediately assumes that role and gives Murray an elite weapon to target. The 28-year-old is the picture of consistency – always productive, rarely misses games – and will give the passing attack a significant boost.

RB Kenyan Drake – It was a fantastic eight-game debut for Drake in 2019, as he ran for 643 yards and eight touchdowns on 5.2 yards per carry after being acquired from the Dolphins. With David Johnson now in Houston as part of the Hopkins trade, Drake is the clear go-to running back. His skill set seems to fit the offense perfectly, and another efficient season in 2020 seems attainable.

WR Christian Kirk – After a promising rookie season, Kirk didn’t break out in 2019 because of an ankle injury and a couple drops. That capability still lurks, and even though Hopkins will command the most targets, Kirk has a path to a big season if he seizes it. This is a critical year for Kirk to show he can be among the better receivers in the NFL.

WR Larry Fitzgerald – The ageless one led the Cardinals in receiving once again last season. While he may no longer be a perennial All-Pro, Fitzgerald remains a key cog at 37 years old. His hands are still among the best in the league, and if defenses pay attention to Hopkins and Kirk on the outside this year, it should give Fitzgerald ample opportunity to make plays from the slot.

Notable losses: OT Marcus Gilbert; RB David Johnson; C A.Q. Shipley; WR Damiere Byrd; WR Pharoh Cooper; TE Charles Clay

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