3 moves the Cardinals must make to host a home Super Bowl
By Sion Fawkes
Find better ways to protect Murray
Kyler Murray started just 14 games in 2021 and took 31 sacks. Not a horrible number if you take it at face value. But he took just 27 in 2020 over 16 games. Murray also saw his sack percentage increase from 4.6 to 6.1.
His sack percentage index dropped from 113 to 100, and he faced pressure on 20.7 percent of his dropbacks – the highest number of his career. He was also hurried a career-high 68 times. Murray was hit a career-low 13 times, but the fact his pressures increased by four percent in just one season shows the Cardinals need to find ways to better protect Murray.
And it starts with the offensive line. Center Rodney Hudson never played well after suffering a rib injury. Josh Jones is a bust. D.J. Humphries made the Pro Bowl, but Pro Football Focus graded him at 67.5, which ranked 47th out of 83 qualifying tackles.
The Cardinals need help up front, regardless of their Pro Bowl-caliber talent. And if they go with the same faces on the line, they need to at least find ways to get the ball out of Murray’s hand quicker. But twice in the past two seasons, Murray has suffered injuries. And in both seasons, he never looked like the same quarterback after getting banged up.