As the Arizona Cardinals head into the 2022 NFL season, Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury still have to find that career-defining moment to justify their time in the league so far. With both player and coach needing help from other members of the team, which hidden gems could make 2022 their year?
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Cardinals Hidden Gems On 2022 Roster
2. Trey McBride
The second-round tight end prospect from Colorado State comes highly regarded to the Cardinals, and Trey McBride looks the part. The 55th overall selection will slide in behind Zach Ertz on the TE depth chart, but he should be a great fit for this offense.
While at CSU, McBride showcased his receiving chops all four years, capping off his four-year career with a 1,100-yard season. In total, McBride hauled in 164 passes for 2,100 yards and 10 TDs, 4 scores each during his sophomore and junior campaigns.
The depth chart may not work in McBride’s favor through camp, as blocking extraordinaire Maxx Williams was resigned as well this offseason, but McBride’s ability to stretch the field and put himself in advantageous situations for the ball will make him a great option for Murray.
A big aspect working in McBride’s favor (thus making him our first hidden gem) is that with the early-season suspension of DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise Brown is going to slide into that WR1 spot. With depth a bit of a question behind Brown (more on that later), this Cardinals offense will likely turn to splitting its TEs out wide, a position that McBride found himself in 12% of offensive snaps in 2021.
His ascension into regular playing time hinges on how well he performs in the preseason slate of games, but McBride certainly has the skill set to fulfill his ‘hidden gem’ tag being placed on him.
1. Eno Benjamin
Yes, James Conner is coming off a season where he put up over 1,100 yards and 18 total TDs. And yes, long-time Kansas City Chiefs running back Darrel Williams was brought in this offseason as the main handcuff option to Conner.
But Eno Benjamin should still see the field.
Even with Conner and Williams ahead of him on the depth chart, and even with Arizona using a seventh-round selection on Keontay Ingram, Benjamin’s receiving prowess should be able to get him on the field, as it is something that he does better than Williams.
With Benjamin’s track record in the NFL not showing much to be interested in, going back to his days as a member of the Arizona State Sun Devils paints a much more efficient picture of the kind of RB he can be. 77 receptions and over 500 yards across his final two seasons, combined with over 2,700 rushing yards, shows that Benjamin can carry a load if called upon.
Conner’s injury history is a bit too colorful for a back that just resigned for three more seasons at age 27, and with Williams also already 27, Benjamin has the youth on his side. Entering camp as the RB3 on this team does not paint a rosy picture for Benjamin, but he has the skill set to hold down a semi-regular role this season.
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