The 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone, which means the offseason is mostly complete. While not completely set in stone, most teams have a pretty good idea of what their rosters will look like for the upcoming season. For the Arizona Cardinals, this season looks to be a rough one.

They had a miserable 2022 season, finishing with a 4-13 record and firing coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim. With the roster taking even more hits this offseason, many expect the Cardinals to be one of, if not the worst, team in the league this season.

To prove those doubters wrong, the Cardinals will be counting on some members of the roster to have big, unexpected performances. With that said, let's look at where that roster stands after most of the offseason.

Quarterback: Kyler Murray/Colt McCoy

If Murray is healthy, he's Arizona's starting quarterback without question. However, most reports indicate that the former No. 1 overall pick will miss the start of the season after tearing his ACL in December. If he's unable to go, then the Cardinals will count on the veteran backup McCoy to hold down the fort for a while.

Running Back: James Conner

Conner has been a consistently strong option since arriving in Arizona. In 2022, he rushed for 782 yards and seven touchdowns, plus 300 yards and a touchdown through the air. The position is very thin behind him, so he'll carry most of the load.

Wide Receiver:

  • WR1: DeAndre Hopkins
  • WR2: Marquise Brown
  • Slot: Rondale Moore

Hopkins had been in trade rumors all offseason, but it now seems he will remain in Arizona for a bit longer. While talented, all three of these receivers missed time last year due to injury and suspension in Hopkins' case. Hopefully for the Cardinals, they will be more available in 2023.

Tight End: Zach Ertz/Trey McBride

The Cardinals are going through a similar situation at tight end as they are under center. Ertz also tore his ACL late last season, and there's a chance he could miss the start of the 2023 campaign. If he's unable to go to start the year, McBride will almost certainly be the feature guy. McBride had a relatively quiet rookie season in 2022 but did fill in well after Ertz went down last season.

Offensive Line:

  • LT: D.J. Humphries
  • LG: Paris Johnson Jr.
  • C: Hijalte Froholdt
  • RG: Will Hernandez
  • RT: Kelvin Beachum

The Cardinals had significant losses up front this offseason in veterans Rodney Hudson and Justin Pugh. So it makes sense why they selected Johnson with the No. 6 pick in the draft. Johnson played tackle at Ohio State, but it appears he could start his NFL career on the interior.

Defensive Line:

  • DE: Jonathan Ledbetter
  • NT: Rashard Lawrence
  • DT: Leki Fotu

Arizona's defensive line will look very different this year for multiple reasons. The Cardinals lost J.J. Watt and Zach Allen, their two sack leaders last season, to retirement and free agency, respectively. For two, they are transitioning from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 one under new defensive coordinator Nick Rallis. These three players are very unproven, so they must learn quickly.

Linebackers:

  • LOLB: Myjai Sanders
  • LILB: Zaven Collins
  • RILB: Kyzir White
  • ROLB: Cameron Thomas

The inside linebackers seem relatively set, with Collins being one of Arizona's better defenders and White being an offseason pickup from the Philadelphia Eagles, giving him familiarity with new head coach Jonathan Gannon. However, the outside linebackers seem more uncertain. A few players could fill the roles, and we'll have to keep an eye on it leading up to the season.

Secondary:

  • LCB: Rashad Fenton
  • RCB: Marco Wilson
  • SS: Jalen Thompson
  • FS: Budda Baker

Baker has requested a trade recently, but since he's still on the roster, he's still the starter for the time being. Thompson and Wilson had solid showings in 2022, but Fenton will have big shoes to fill after Byron Murphy departed in free agency. The Cardinals ranked No. 24 in pass defense last year and will likely be looking for a better showing this season.

Special Teams:

  • K: Matt Prater
  • P: Nolan Cooney
  • KR/PR: Greg Dortch
  • LS: Joe Fortunato

Prater is still as solid as ever, even at 38 years old, making 22 of 25 field goals last season. Cooney was an undrafted free agent in 2021, but has yet to play in a game despite bouncing around a few teams, so this could be his chance. Dortch had a relatively quiet season as a return man but can also be a solid option in the passing game.