The Arizona Cardinals finished dead last in the NFC West last season but the hope is that things will be different this year. The Cardinals looked like they were turning things around in the final stretch when Kyler Murray returned to the offense but of course, by that point, it was too late and the season was already practically in the books.
The good news is that 2024 is a new season and Murray is back and healthy. Head coach Jonathan Gannon spoke to the media over the weekend and said that the Cardinals have high hopes for their quarterback this year.
" I think his game's gonna go to another level. I know it is. I've been extremely pleased with where he's at, what he's doing, the command and the leadership that he's displaying right now. I mean, I think it was the best RVA I've ever seen in my life on Wednesday, truthfully. ... Not to put a bunch of pressure on him, but he's doing extremely well."Jonathan Gannon
Gannon on Murray: "I think his game's gonna go to another level."
Murray threw for 1,799 yards and 10 touchdowns in eight games last season while also rushing for 244 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. At his best, Murray is a Pro Bowl-level quarterback who can win games in Arizona but the team needs him to up the ante this year. The Cardinals paid him to be a franchise quarterback and he needs to look the part in his sixth season.
Gannon's comments should excite Cardinals fans but now we have to see these comments come to fruition. This team could be a lot of fun in 2024 but it begins and ends with Murray's performance. If he is indeed the guy that Gannon says he is, then this should be a special year for the Cardinals.