The Arizona Cardinals 2023 season is supposed to be a bleak one. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun and get bold. Let’s look at five of them.
No matter how good or how bad you’re slated to be as a team, you will always at least enjoy a few memorable moments. But for the Arizona Cardinals, even with a roster supposedly as weak as many are advertising them to be, they, like the other 31 teams, have potential to enjoy some unforeseen season-long experiences.
Below, I’m making five bold predictions for the upcoming season. Predictions that most will believe are far out of the Redbirds reach in 2023. Let’s check them out.
5 bold predictions for the Arizona Cardinals season
1 - Cardinals win at least six games
Everyone thinks the Cardinals are going to win somewhere between zero (highly unlikely) and no more than three games. But over the first two weeks of the season, they’re playing the lowly Washington Commanders and the overrated New York Giants.
That said, they can easily wind up 2-0 if they play their cards right. The Los Angeles Rams will be slowly and painfully dismantling during the season, and that there can be a sweep in the making. Finally, the Cards have the Houston Texans, the overrated Cleveland Browns, the Chicago Bears, and the Atlanta Falcons on their schedule. This team can and will win six games.
2 - Clayton Tune leads the team in passing yards, touchdowns
One big concern with quarterback Kyler Murray is that, even if he returns from his torn ACL and plays well, he’s still injury-prone. Further, we don’t know how good he’s going to look.
Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing will build the offense in a way that it can suit a game manager that Tune will undoubtedly be in 2023. Further, if Murray needs to miss more time or finds himself on injured reserve again, it really doesn’t hurt to hand the reins to Tune as opposed to Colt McCoy at some point.
Who’s going to draw more fan interest? A rookie, or a 36-year-old career backup? Tune, and it’s not even close.
3 - Michael Wilson is the team’s leading receiver
Michael Wilson has steal potential, and his lack of big-time college production was only a thing because he was often injured. But if Wilson stays healthy, the big target from Stanford can immediately serve as DeAndre Hopkins’ successor and become the WR1 for this Arizona Cardinals team.
At this time, Marquise Brown holds the honor, but Wilson’s similar size to Hopkins should make him Kyler Murray’s top target when the quarterback inevitably returns from injury. He will also be a go-to receiver for Colt McCoy or Clayton Tune, especially in one-on-one coverage.
4 - Zaven Collins racks up 10-plus sacks
The Cardinals moved Zaven Collins from inside linebacker to outside linebacker/edge because they felt he would fit the position better in their defensive scheme. Given the way Collins has already impressed the coaches and appears to be embracing the switch, look for Collins to enjoy a huge season.
It also helps that Collins has a pair of capable edge rushers in Myjai Sanders and Cameron Thomas who can draw attention away from him. And if B.J. Ojulari catches on quick, he’s yet another player opponents must account for, leaving Collins to see plenty of opportunities.
5 - Four players from Cardinals secondary make the Pro Bowl
Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson are potential shoo-ins, but Isaiah Simmons, now that he has a chance to lock down a single position for once, or at least a single position unit, should make a jump in production this season. You won’t see the same poor coverage from 2022, and since Simmons is also a sure tackler proven capable of making splash plays, he should be a lot of fun to watch.
Ditto for Marco Wilson, who put up outstanding numbers in 2022. If Wilson makes a few more plays, he too should earn his first Pro Bowl Games appearance. Regardless of whether all four of them make it, look for the Redbirds secondary to perform better than many think in 2023.
Overall, you can make several bold predictions for the season, even for a team that’s not supposed to go anywhere. And the Arizona Cardinals are no exception.