In 2021, the Arizona Cardinals made the playoffs with an 11-6 record, and quarterback Kyler Murray made his second straight Pro Bowl. Although the team lost in the wild card round, it seemed like the franchise had finally turned the corner and established themselves as contenders. Unfortunately, the Cardinals have won just 16 games in the three seasons since, and Murray hasn’t been to another Pro Bowl.
Despite adding plenty of talented players, and hiring a new head coach, Arizona hasn’t been able to emerge as a threat in the league. However, one analyst thinks that will finally change in 2025. In a recent piece on NFL.com, Gennaro Filice named the Cardinals as a bandwagon worth jumping on.
NFL analyst believes Cardinals can return to the playoffs in 2025
Filice praised head coach Jonathan Gannon for moving the team in the right direction during his two years as head coach, and also applauded general manager Monti Ossenfort on his efforts to improve the defense this offseason. Filice‘s biggest question, though, was about Kyler Murray, arguing that Arizona’s turnaround will hinge on rather or not Murray makes the strides everyone have been waiting on him to take.
"A former No. 1 overall pick, Murray already signed a five-year, $230.5 million extension. Nevertheless, he still leaves much to be desired. Boasting explosive traits, the 27-year-old has the ability to take over games, but the consistency just isn’t there on a weekly basis. He tends to disappear at times, which isn't ideal at the game's most important position. If Murray can take a real step forward in Year 7, the Cardinals should hit the playoffs for just the second time in 10 seasons."Gennaro Filice (NFL.com)
This is a take everyone could get on board with. For the Cardinals to really be a contender in th NFL, they need Kyler Murray to consistently be on the field, and to consistently play at the elite level that he has shown he’s capable of doing. In 2024, the veteran quarterback started all 17 games, completing 68.8% of his passes for 3,851 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also added 572 rushing yards and five more touchdowns.
Still, Murray and the offense didn’t show up every week, and that’s a big reason why Arizona finished last season with an 8-9 record. If Murray can help the offense avoid so many lackluster outings, a playoff appearance should be the floor for the Cardinals in 2025.