Round Table: What Was the Cardinals’ Best Offseason Addition?

Jun. 11, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA: Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians (left) and general manager Steve Keim during mini camp at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Cardinals made a plethora of offseason additions, and all of them could end up helping.

Arizona added a new coach, a new quarterback, a new general manager and a new running back. The team is coming together, and it’s poised for success in 2013. The offseason additions have made Cardinals fans optimistic, but which one should make Cardinals fans most optimistic?

Here are some answers from our staff.

Lucas Robbins

The best move the Arizona Cardinals made this offseason was hiring head coach Bruce Arians. The Cardinals firing of former head coach Ken Whisenhunt led to Arians’ hiring in January. Arians was the Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator and stepped in as the interim head coach while head coach Chuck Pagano was battling leukemia.

With Arians in charge, the Colts went 9-3 and clinched a playoff spot in 2012. The Colts finished last season with a record of 11-5, nine more wins than their previous campaign and one of the best turnarounds in NFL history.

Arians proved last year that he can respond to adversity and rally a team around the common goal of reaching the playoffs. The Cardinals’ struggles last year can be attributed mainly to the quarterback situation. Arians should be the solution. He is an offensive guru and has aided in the development of QBs Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. It will be interesting to see how his system will be implemented with Carson Palmer under center.

Baily Deeter

I’m going to go with coach Bruce Arians. He is a great fit in Arizona, as his vertical, pass-first offense supports Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. Arians won Coach of the Year last year, and he is doing a great job helping the Cardinals mesh well.

Cyle Gill

This offseason, the Cardinals have made a lot of moves. They let players go, which some were for the best. They brought in new and an old face to be starters and players to add good depth to make an all-around solid team. However, I think the best move was, I’d have to go with the firing of Ron Graves and the hiring of Steve Keim.

If it wasn’t for that first move by Michael Bidwell, the team would still be in the same position as last season and probably wouldn’t be as solid as it is now and I probably wouldn’t have any hope for them this up coming season.

Edgar Valenzuela

I think the best move was trading for Carson Palmer. Without him, I really thing that the Cardinals would end up with a top 5 pick. He put up decent numbers with a bad supporting cast, and he can do the same thing in Oakland.

Rich Cantrell

Trading for Carson Palmer is the best move the Cardinals made this offseason.  The Cardinals needed to add Palmer to run their new offense and get the ball downfield to Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd in the passing game.  Palmer will add stability to the quarterback position and veteran leadership to a team going through a lot of changes this year.