Last year’s second-round draft pick could be handed a more prominent role with the Arizona Cardinals offensive unit next fall.
The Arizona Cardinals were extremely excited last year when they drafted a speedy wide receiver out of Purdue University. Rondale Moore’s rookie campaign was somewhat disappointing, however, so it stands to reason that the Cards will be looking for a whole lot more out of 2021’s second-round selection next fall.
Due to extenuating circumstances, a golden opportunity with the Cardinals could be awaiting Moore in 2022. Two of the club’s top wideouts from last season, Christian Kirk and A.J. Green, are both heading for free agency. A solid offseason showing could very well lead to an increased role in the Arizona offense for the 21-year-old Moore.
At the moment, Moore’s only real competition for targets will come from two Redbirds. DeAndre Hopkins, a five-time Pro Bowler, will be back for a third campaign in the desert. Antoine Wesley, an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech University, will be looking to expand on a promising first year with the “Big Red” passing attack.
Obviously, Cards general manager Steve Keim will be adding to the position during the next couple of months. There are some very intriguing names who are scheduled to hit the free-agent market in March, and this coming April’s NFL Draft is also stocked with some impressive receivers. Even so, Moore could be afforded a chance to step up in a big way for the squad in 2022.
Rondale Moore should be more of a downfield threat for the Arizona Cardinals
The way that Moore was utilized by the Cardinals last fall was a bit perplexing. There were far too many behind the line-of-scrimmage receptions for the potentially-explosive wideout. One would think that an individual with Moore’s blazing speed would be used as more of a downfield threat by play-caller Kliff Kingsbury.
A lack of size could be what’s hindering what Arizona can do with Moore. At just 5-foot-10 (and that’s even debatable), quarterback Kyler Murray likely struggles to spot his pass-receiving options downfield at times. It must be incredibly challenging for a signal-caller with such limited size to find a receiver who’s as tiny as Moore if he’s not five yards away.
Getting the most out of talented players like Moore is just one of the many duties of an offensive guru like Kingsbury. If the head coach can accomplish that task, the Cards could be on the verge of unleashing one of the most exciting weapons that the team’s scoring attack has possessed in quite some time.