Arizona Cardinals: Don’t sleep on Carson Strong at quarterback
By Sion Fawkes
New Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Strong had a prolific career at the University of Nevada and some draft experts had him highly ranked.
The Arizona Cardinals are going to be one of those teams this season. At 4-9, their starting quarterback is out with an ACL injury, and the Redbirds have several players on injured reserve. That said, we are going to be looking at some backups seeking to impress what is now interim management, and Carson Strong will be one of those players.
While quarterback Colt McCoy should be good to go this week, what’s the point in playing a 36-year-old career backup who may not even be around next season? Not that Trace McSorley or Strong will either, but let’s give the kids a chance to show what they can do.
And if Strong ends up seeing some in-game reps, I have five words for you: Don’t sleep on the kid. Strong may not have been drafted, but he possesses all the intangibles of an NFL quarterback.
Arizona Cardinals could have a hidden gem in Carson Strong
At 6’4, 215lb, Strong has enough height and a solid build for an NFL quarterback. He also has experience in an Air Raid offense under Matt Mumme. This makes Strong an ideal fit for head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s attack.
He also finished the 2021 season 8-4, with a 70.1% completion percentage, 4,175 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. He can also scramble, having picked up 208 rushing yards on 51 carries, good for 4.1 yards per attempt.
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While McCoy and McSorley will get first dibs here, don’t sleep on Strong to not just receive playing time, but to impress while doing so. With Kyler Murray’s status unknown for the beginning of next season, the undrafted Strong may have a golden opportunity to open 2023 as the starter should be impress.
(Statistics provided by Sports-Reference/CFB)
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