Arizona Cardinals Players Make Top 100 List

Five Arizona Cardinals players made the NFL Network’s Top 100 list this year.

Every year, the NFL Network interviews players and has them vote for the top 100 best players of the recent season.  At 97 was Budda Baker. The third year safety was not ranked in last year’s top 100 list, but managed to make it this year after the two-time Pro Bowler led all safeties in tackles with 147.

Baker also had six passes deflected and a forced fumble.  While he has yet to record his first career interception, Baker is still regarded as one of the top safeties in the league because of his style of play.

At 90 was Kyler Murray. He was named Offensive Rookie of  the Year after having one of the best rookie seasons in Arizona Cardinals history. He led all rookie quarterbacks in rushing yards and passing yards, and finished third in passing touchdowns.  Murray was also the first Arizona Cardinals player to win Rookie of the Year since Anquan Boldin in 2003, where he finished with 1,377 receiving yards and 101 receptions.

Speaking of receivers, Larry Fitzgerald was ranked number 69 on this year’s list. Fitzgerald is also the only non-quarterback to have made the NFL Top 100 list every year since it began.  Fitzgerald did what he always does every season, as he caught over 70 passes with over 800 yards and four touchdowns.

To no one’s surprise, he finished with zero drops in 2019 as well.  It does come as a surprise that Fitzgerald ranked number 60 in 2018 despite having better numbers all around in 2019.

Chandler Jones made the top 100 list this year after being snubbed last year. He has been the best pass rusher since he was traded to the Cardinals in 2016.  Jones was ranked 15 on the list after coming off his best season as a Cardinal. He finished the season with 19 sacks, 53 tackles, and 26 quarterback hits.

Since joining the Cardinals in 2016, Jones leads the NFL in sacks with 60, and is tied for first with 17 forced fumbles, but has yet to win Defensive Player of the Year.  Finishing the list with the Arizona Cardinals is the newly required wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who ranked number eight on the list.  In 2018, Hopkins was ranked number 11, and this will be the first time in his career where he made it into the top 10.

Last season with the Texans, Hopkins finished with 1,165 yards with 104 receptions and seven touchdowns, and only four drops.  Since 2017, no receiver has had more touchdowns than Hopkins. Paired with his new quarterback Kyler Murray, the two could be a dangerous duo.