A promising season unraveled quickly. Now Arizona must rebuild, starting at quarterback.
The Arizona Cardinals are in a sticky situation. They’re currently 7-8 and mathematically eliminated from the NFL playoffs. They’re a team in decline. And they have a front office controversy.
David Johnson (photo, Kickoff Coverage)
It’s all so unexpected because the season started optimistically. The Cardinals were projected to be a Wild Card team because they had the players to do it.
It was going to be a banner year for running back David Johnson, a player who was projected to be the best NFL Fantasy Football Player of the Year.
Superstar Larry Fitzgerald was back for another year.
But success just wasn’t in the cards. Injuries were the main reason. Johnson suffered a wrist injury early, which forced him to miss the rest of the year. Without him, the Cardinals had to create a new identity on offense. To help, the front office acquired Adrian Peterson from the Saints. Although no longer in his prime, Peterson was able to handle some of the load that Johnson would have carried.
Carson Palmer (photo, The Sporting News)
It got worse for Arizona in October when quarterback Carson Palmer suffered an arm injury that put him on the bench for the rest of the season. So, now, Arizona was without two of its top offensive players.
To fill that void, the Cardinals had to rely on backup quarterbacks Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert. Both ended up playing modestly–not good enough to replace Palmer’s productivity.
This year was an important season for the Cardinals because it could have set the foundation for the future. Now there are more questions than answers.
For one thing, age is not on the Cardinals’ side. They are the oldest team in the NFL with an average age of 27+. Palmer is 38 years old. The star receiver is 34. The current starting running back is 32. That’s just too much age.
Will Arians return? (photo, Chicago Tribune)
Arizona is also dealing with an issue “upstairs.” It’s rumored that head coach Bruce Arians will part ways with the club. While Arians has denied it, the fact the rumor is s out there puts the future up in the air.
So where do the Cardinals go from here?
The first step is personnel replacement–transitioning from older to younger players. Prominent in that regard is Carson Palmer. He’s in decline and neither of his current backups is going to develop into an elite talent.
The Cardinals need to draft their quarterback of the future, a player like Josh Allen out of Wyoming. Allen has the size and arm to lead a Bruce Arians’ offense. The next step is to surround a new QB with talented, young players.
It’s time for Arizona to reward its fans by, first. getting over the hump and, then, becoming one of the NFL’s elite teams. That future starts right now.
Good thinking, and very clearly expressed. Also, thanks for the Arians rumor. I am right here in Phoenix, but I missed that one.