What would the ideal Arizona Cardinals offense look like?
By Sion Fawkes
The Arizona Cardinals are in a precarious situation. Their offense has only produced at least 30 points once all season. But they have some dynamic pieces.
We know that head coach Kliff Kingsbury had a tough first six games of the season when it came to playcalling. In Week 7, DeAndre Hopkins’ return kickstarted things into gear, and the Cardinals at least looked somewhat productive on the offensive side of the ball.
Simply put, the Redbirds need a healthy DeAndre Hopkins on the field to win games. Forget the idea of Marquise Brown or the newly acquired Robbie Anderson stepping in as the WR1. No matter how productive Brown was, the Cardinals offense never got going.
But ironically enough, Arizona’s offensive unit could still evolve into one of the league’s best. They have a backfield fit for a committee, even with a few injuries at the moment. Kyler Murray is a former number one overall pick, and he has at least six worthy pass catchers in the lineup.
Even with Kingsbury bumbling his way through calling the plays, this Arizona Cardinals offense can put up some hot numbers. But what would the ideal group look like if they can remain in the playoff race come Week 13, which serves as their bye week?
The Arizona Cardinals offense can light up the scoreboard
Clearly, having a mobile, dual threat option that is Kyler Murray always helps. And if he stays healthy, he would be the top choice at the position. At running back, Eno Benjamin is the best choice to be the RB1. A healthy James Conner and Darrel Williams to supplement would also help, but Keaontay Ingram is also showing he’s no slouch.
As for receiver, Hopkins must be the WR1. Hopefully, the Cardinals have Brown back by Week 13, which will give him four more games of action before the playoffs begin. Anderson will serve as a big target both out wide and in the slot, while Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch are smaller, faster targets. And don’t forget about Zach Ertz, who is putting up another dynamic season.
At offensive line, D.J. Humphries and Kelvin Beachum must serve as the bookend tackles. Rodney Hudson is still the best option at center, so he is the ideal fit to man the middle. Will Hernandez is having a better-than-advertised campaign, ranking 20th out of 75 eligible guards at the moment per PFF. Cody Ford played admirably in Justin Pugh’s place, and he would fill the second spot at guard.
The ideal starting offense for the Arizona Cardinals would look like this:
Quarterback: Murray
Running Back: Benjamin, Conner, Williams
Receiver: Hopkins, Brown, Anderson, Dortch, Moore
Tight End: Ertz
Offensive Line: Humphries, Ford, Hudson, Hernandez, Beachum
Overall, the Cardinals ironically have an offense capable of making and going deep in the playoffs. And if they get healthy, it’s not premature to expect an explosive output. No, Kingsbury isn’t the best playcaller on the planet, but general manager Steve Keim has put together a unit that can hide its head coach’s weaknesses.
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The unit outlined above is not void of talent. In fact, there are no glaring holes anywhere. And it’s safe to say that, if they ever get together, the Arizona Cardinals will be putting up 30-plus points per game regularly real soon. And against New Orleans, they also showed they are even capable of doing this without all the above puzzle pieces.
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