Division foes leaving Arizona Cardinals in their dust
By Jim Koch
With half of the NFC West making moves prior to the trade deadline, the Arizona Cardinals now have some catching up to do
The news hit many fans of the Arizona Cardinals hard. It was bad enough that Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t being traded to their team. But the fact that the talented quarterback would be heading to a division rival, the San Francisco 49ers, was even harder to swallow.
The Niners weren’t the only NFC West club working the phones this past Tuesday, the final day of the trading period. The Seattle Seahawks, in dire need of offensive line help, went out and got some in a deal with the Houston Texans. Three-time Pro Bowler Duane Brown landed in the Pacific Northwest, giving quarterback Russell Wilson an excellent blind-side protector.
Cards’ general manager Steve Keim did do some wheeling and dealing of his own. It occurred three weeks ago however, when future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson landed in the desert. That acquisition seemed to provide a jumpstart to the franchise, although the blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams has cooled some of that excitement.
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Despite being in need of some more reinforcements, Keim ultimately sat on his hands leading up to the deadline. An addition to a reeling Arizona defensive unit would’ve certainly made sense. It’s quite possible, however, that the injury to quarterback Carson Palmer has the organization realizing that this campaign is a lost cause.
Nevertheless, bringing Garoppolo to the Valley of the Sun would’ve made many Cardinals’ backers happy. Though his sample size is small, the former New England Patriots’ fill-in has certainly shown potential. The Cards got a first-hand look at Garoppolo last season, when he defeated them in an opening-day matchup.
The Rams, like Arizona, were also not heard from on Tuesday. Head coach Sean McVay’s bunch is playing extremely well, so sitting tight with what they have may have been the smart choice. Adding a receiving threat for quarterback Jared Goff may have been tempting, but GM Les Snead didn’t make anything happen.
San Francisco’s winless first half of the season will probably keep the Cardinals out of the division cellar this year. But a successful offseason is imperative if the franchise wants to avoid being bottom-feeders in the near future. That may be easier said than done.