2 - Zach Ertz, TE
It’s hard to tell what was going through the minds of general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon when they decided Zach Ertz would take them further in 2023 than Trey McBride. Putting faith in Ertz was a colossal failure in every regard, and like Wilson, the Cards ended up letting the 33-year-old go, even if it was under different circumstances.
While Gannon and Ossenfort weren’t in Glendale for the latter stage of the 2022 season, McBride’s performance on tape should have convinced them to roll with the sophomore tight end over the aging veteran. When injuries to Ertz forced them to, the Cardinals eventually realized their mistake when McBride started playing outstanding football.
3 - Marquise Brown, WR
Regardless if you thought Marquise Brown would prove himself to be DeAndre Hopkins’ successor as the Arizona Cardinals No. 1 receiver or if you felt he’d stick as a No. 2 is irrelevant. When he only caught 50.5 percent of the passes thrown his way and he proved himself to be injury-prone, it means he played a massive role in bringing down an entire unit.
Throughout his career, Brown struggled with drops, as he’s had 23 total and four this past season. In 2022, Cardinals quarterbacks had a 64.0 passer rating when throwing him the ball, and that number sat at just 72.8 in 2023, further showing how much Brown has hindered the Redbirds since he arrived in Glendale.