Arizona Cardinals set to ride young offense into future

Young talent at the skill positions could provide the Arizona Cardinals with exciting offensive firepower for years to come

With just three wins to their credit in 2019, it’s difficult to be overly thrilled with the Arizona Cardinals. Moral victories certainly have their place in pro football, but fans eventually want more. The Cards will once again miss the playoffs, but there are positives that can be extracted from another disappointing season.

A young and exciting Arizona offense is certainly something to be optimistic about. Over the past year, the club’s front office has provided the team with some impressive talent at the skill positions. General manager Steve Keim and his assistants have assembled a group that has the ability to make the Cardinals a productive scoring machine for years to come.

Leading the youthful offensive attack is a first-year quarterback named Kyler Murray. The first-overall pick of this past April’s draft is having a superb season, and is a candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Murray has thrown for 2,703 yards and 14 touchdowns through the air, and has collected another 418 yards and three scores on the ground.

Keim surprised everyone on October 28th when he orchestrated a trade for running back Kenyan Drake. The former Miami Dolphin has been magnificent from day one, and has already unseated David Johnson as the Cards starter. In three appearances with Big Red, Drake has accumulated 212 rushing yards, 71 receiving yards and a touchdown.

While Johnson’s future with Arizona appears to be up in the air, there’s another ball-carrier who has the skills to carve out a role with the organization going forward. Chase Edmonds, who has missed the last three games with a strained hamstring, was having a fine campaign before the setback. The 2018 fourth-round selection has racked up 295 rushing yards, 105 receiving yards and five total scores in ’19.

Second-year wide receiver Christian Kirk is slowly becoming Murray’s go-to target. The former Texas A&M product has returned from the ankle sprain that sidelined him for three contests. Kirk has hauled in 46 passes for 508 yards and three touchdowns in eight matchups this season.

Rookie wideout KeeSean Johnson has totaled 21 receptions,187 receiving yards and a score this year. Pharoh Cooper, a waiver-wire pickup from ’18, has registered 16 catches for 157 yards and a touchdown. Another first-year pass-catcher, Andy Isabella, has tallied seven receptions for 180 yards and an 88-yard score.

Just last week, the Cardinals handed tight end Maxx Williams a two-year contract extension. The 25-year old came to the desert this past May after spending his first five campaigns with the Baltimore Ravens. Williams has caught 11 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown in his first season with the Cards.

Zane Gonzalez, a waiver-wire addition from last year, has been spectacular in ’19. The 24-year old placekicker has converted 26 of 29 field-goal attempts and 20 of 21 PATs. Gonzalez flamed out quickly with the Cleveland Browns, but has revitalized his career in Arizona.

Armed with a surplus of youth, the future definitely looks bright for the Cardinals offensive unit. The triumvirate of Murray, Drake and Kirk is particularly impressive. In the midst of what appears to be another lost season, the Cards management team has certainly given their loyalists something to look forward to.