Football is back, and while the expectations could not be lower for the Cardinals, there is still plenty of individual intrigue heading into the season.
Training camp begins Wednesday, and here are the five biggest storylines to watch, in descending order:
5. Can I Get a Pass-Rusher? Please?
B.J. Ojulari has finally been signed. Yay! Can he rush the passer?
How about Cameron Thomas or Myjai Sanders, a couple of second-year dudes who showed flashes as rookies but have major question marks.
And then there is Zaven Collins, the former first-round pick who is moving to the edge. I have zero hope that any defensive tackle on this team will even be an adequate penetrator, so it’s on the edge guys to make some waves.
This looks like the worst pass-rushing group in the NFL on paper. Does anyone step up?
4. How Does the Offensive Line Shake Out?
Plenty of questions here heading into camp. Smart money is on D.J. Humphries at left tackle, Will Hernandez at a guard spot and Paris Johnson at right tackle. But center and the other guard position are completely up for grabs.
If things are close, the Cardinals would undoubtedly love to go young to get some cheap upside players some experience. But protecting the quarterback takes precedence, so the battles will be interesting.
Pat Elflein and Elijah Wilkinson may be the favorites entering camp, but there is plenty of time for the youngsters to show their stuff, and allegiances are thin with a new staff and GM in place.
Let the best blockers win.
3. Will Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins Click At Their New Spots?
This is quite an indictment on Steve Keim: not only did he draft inside linebackers with his final two first-round picks as Cardinals GM, but neither is sticking at that spot with the new regime in place.
Isaiah Simmons is moving to safety, where coach Jonathan Gannon will try to fully unlock his skillset. Simmons has noticeable deficiencies to his game, headlined by man-coverage issues, but a smart staff should be able to accentuate the positives and make him a productive player.
Training camp reports will give us an early indication about the transition.
“Kam Chancellor, Jamal Adams, those guys didn’t play man coverage like that. They were rovers… You can devise a model that fits Isaiah Simmons.”
Great insight from my guy @DP_NFL ⬇️https://t.co/5lLmkQVAEP
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) June 23, 2023
The aforementioned Collins has moved to the edge, and it will be interesting to see how he looks in the new scheme. Here is the concern: if Collins was a great pass-rusher, Arizona would have put him there a long time ago, because it’s a premium position.
The Haason Reddick move turned out great, but that was lightning in a bottle. The odds are against Collins becoming an upper-tier piece on the edge.
2. What Will Happen with Budda Baker?
The star safety seems upbeat as training camp beckons, so maybe all the offseason drama will come to a close.
While Baker wants a new contract, the Cardinals aren’t in much of a position to give him one. Great player, yes, but Baker is someone with two years still left on a lucrative deal, who will be 29 when it expires, and the team is in the midst of a massive rebuild.
Baker is smaller than your average safety and will soon be on the wrong side of his athletic prime, which means the warning signs are too great to reward him with more contract years and more money.
If the Cardinals told him that, maybe Baker will just play out the season and try again next year.
Or the saga is just getting started. We will see.
1. When Will Kyler Murray Return?
It’s been a pretty quiet offseason, with a few IG videos and a report here and there about Kyler Murray’s recovery from a torn ACL.
He seems to be on track for a return within the general ACL timeline window, but it’s unknown when exactly it will be.
“In the spaces that I’m in, the conversation is, ‘He’s going to miss eight weeks.' I don’t think that’s the case.
"I don’t think Week 1 is the safest bet, but maybe Week 3 or 4ish? I’m more optimistic on him this year than a lot of people are.”https://t.co/LioMtVnaux pic.twitter.com/DjqIRK07nq
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) July 20, 2023
Murray has a stated goal of being on the field for the regular season opener. While that may be pushing it — I’ve been told the Cardinals are continually trying to manage Murray’s expectations — it’s good to know he’s intent on making a quick return.
The back end of training camp could start to give us an indication on the plan for a return. If Murray goes on regular season PUP, it would keep him sidelined for a minimum of four weeks.
If the quarterback and the team believe he can come back sooner, he could start practicing as the season gets close.
While this season might be a lost one before it begins, the return of Murray and his level of play will be the biggest storyline of 2023.
