Tight end is quietly producing for the Arizona Cardinals

Talented tight end Dan Arnold is quietly becoming an important component of the Arizona Cardinals “Air Raid” scoring attack

For years now, the tight end has been a miniscule part of the Arizona Cardinals offense. Towards the end of last season, however, the club’s front office acquired a player who had the potential to put the position back on the map for the organization. Quietly, Dan Arnold has been accomplishing that feat throughout Arizona’s 2020 campaign.

While a huge portion of the Cards passing attack has revolved around DeAndre Hopkins this fall, the talented Arnold has also been garnering quarterback Kyler Murray‘s attention. In 13 appearances (four starts) this year for the squad, the 25-year old has hauled in 22 passes for 313 yards and four touchdowns. An impressive 17 of his receptions have resulted in first downs for the Cardinals.

This past Sunday, Arnold’s second-quarter score broke Arizona’s offensive unit out of it’s red-zone funk. On a third-down and goal from the New York seven-yard line, the 6’6, 220 pounder made a highlight-worthy catch. Arnold used his tremendous height to come down with an elevated Murray throw, a connection that stretched the Cards lead to 13-0 at the time.

Later on in the half, Arnold made what appeared to be another spectacular play. Facing a third-down and five at the Giants 36-yard line, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville product pulled in a 26-yard heave from Murray that was initially ruled a completion. Unfortunately, replays showed that Arnold failed to complete the reception when he came down out of bounds, and the call was reversed.

Arnold entered the current season with high expectations, but his performance earlier in the year was far from impressive. During the first nine contests of 2020, the Wisconsin native failed to reach the end zone. But over the past four weeks, Arnold has registered four touchdowns, including two against the Los Angeles Rams in week 13.

Slowly but surely, Arnold has transformed into one of Murray’s “go-to” guys. The Cardinals have finally found a tight end who has the skills to become an integral part of the scoring attack. With the team smack dab in the middle of a playoff race, the timing of such a discovery couldn’t have been any better.