The Arizona Cardinals gave their coach, Kliff Kingsbury, general manager, Steve Keim, and quarterback, Kyler Murray, long-term extensions within the last year. Now, Kingsbury is fired, Keim stepped down, and Murray is on the shelf recovering from a torn ACL. That’s a big mess. However, in the National Football League, things can turn around in the blink of an eye. During the 2023 Cardinals offseason, the team can do a bit with the salary cap and the Cardinals free agents, but the big moves have to revolve around a trade, the 2023 NFL Draft, and most importantly, picking the right Kliff Kingsbury replacement. Here are the three major fixes the Cardinals must make this offseason to reach the NFL playoffs in 2023.
3. Trade DeAndre Hopkins for a first-round pick
The Cardinals were a mess on the field and off it in 2022. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury and quarterback Kyler Murray openly feuded on the sidelines for national TV cameras to see, and Amazon’s All or Nothing cameras showed Murray and his star receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, not seeing eye-to-eye as well.
Hopkins turns 31 in June and is coming off a PED suspension and one of the worst per-game seasons of his career. He’ll also make $30 million in 2023. The time is now to trade the three-time All-Pro.
The former Clemson wideout is still an excellent player, and will easily fetch a first-round pick from teams like the Dallas Cowboys or Buffalo Bills. If the Cardinals' offseason can include adding another first-rounder in 2023, that will be a huge success.
Additionally, the team has Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Robbie Anderson, and Rondale Moore on the roster. The team likely won’t re-sign veteran WR and Cardinals free agent A.J. Brown, but that receiver room is still solid.
With that late first, the team can also add a young wideout with potential. At the Bills’ or Cowboys’ spot, Zay Flowers from Boston College or Jordan Addison from USC could be the picks there.
2. Draft a J.J. Watt replacement for the defense
Speaking of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Cardinals are in an incredible position with the No. 3 overall pick. Depending on what the Chicago Bears do at No. 1, the Cardinals will have several options.
The team can trade the pick to a franchise that needs a quarterback. That No. 3 pick is particularly valuable this offseason because there are three potential signal-callers at the top of this draft with Bryce Young from Alabama, C.J. Stroud from Ohio State, or Will Levis from Kentucky.
If the Cardinals keep their pick, they will get one of the two potential difference-making defenders in this draft, and if the Bears trade their pick, they’ll get their choice between the two.
This will allow the Cardinals' offseason to include quickly replacing the retired J.J. Watt.
The two options here are Will Anderson Jr. from Alabama or Jalen Carter from Georgia. Anderson is the best edge rusher in the draft with 27.5 sacks in the last two seasons. As for Carter, he is a defensive tackle with Aaron Donald-like potential.
Arizona can’t go wrong with either of these players, but if they have the choice between the two, Anderson will likely be the pick as the Cards finished 24th in sacks this season.
1. Hire the right Cardinals head coach for Kyler Murray
The Cardinals replaced Steve Keim this offseason with former Tennessee Titans director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort. Now, it is on Ossenfort and owner Michael Bidwill to find the next head coach. If the team is going to get back to the NFL playoffs, this hire is crucial.
Arizona is currently one of two teams left (along with the Indianapolis Colts) that still have a coaching vacancy. In this coaching cycle, the organization has interviewed Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Steelers senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach Brian Flores, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.
The Cardinals' offseason also included interviews with several coaches who decided to stay in their current roles or got hired elsewhere. This list includes Sean Payton, Dan Quinn, Frank Reich, and DeMeco Ryans.
As of Pro Bowl week, the favorites for the job include Flores, Joseph, and Kafka.
Flores or Kafka are the best choices. On one hand, Kafka is another offensive coach who learned under Brian Daboll and could come in and fix the offense. However, Flores being a defensive guy might make it easier for him to have a better relationship with Murray.
Either way, this choice during the Cardinals' offseason will decide whether or not the franchise makes the 2023 NFL playoffs.
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