Five Obstacles the Arizona Cardinals Must Overcome in 2017
By Jeremy Meek
The Cardinals need to find depth on offense
Backup players aren’t the most important players on a team., until the starter gets hurt. Quality backups are an underrated part of any NFL team, and the teams that win a lot of games have them.
On an offense that has been one of the league’s best recently, there are some looming questions. The biggest issue could be at wid receiver. With Fitzgerald contemplating retirement, and as he enters his mid-30s, he’s no sure thing for 2017. Behind him are question marks. John Brown has health issues, JJ Nelson’s size limits him, and Jaron Brown has never been a big contributor.
David Johnson had a huge season at running back, leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage and touchdowns. He’s a workhorse back that should be the focus of the offense. Behind him, however, is nothing but uncertainty. Aside from Kerwynn Williams, every other running back is a free agent. An injury to Johnson could be an epic disaster.
Nobody wants to see a major injury affect a team’s playoff chances. The 2016 season saw its fair share on the offensive line. Everybody wants to see a completely healthy year in 2017, but that’s not likely. Depth is going to be important, and the Cardinals will need to address it this off-season.