Ranking the Arizona Cardinals defensive backs against the NFC West for 2023
By Sion Fawkes
The Arizona Cardinals secondary has potential, but there are still uncertainties surrounding it. There are several corners on the roster who could start opposite projected CB1 Marco Wilson when September rolls around, but with no proven long-term answer at this time, there is at least one void until further notice.
At safety, the Cards could have the league’s top tandem in Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson should the former opt to stay in the desert. Therefore, if everything goes right for the Cardinals, they could end up with one of the NFL’s better secondaries by the end of the season, but right now, they are middle-of-the-road at best.
How do the Arizona Cardinals defensive backs fare vs. the NFC West?
4 - Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams could have three players drafted on Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft starting in the secondary this season. And the entire unit has little experience as a whole except for Akhello Witherspoon, which isn’t saying much.
While there is always potential to be successful as a group, the odds are not in the Rams favor. You could even expect a Kyler Murray-less Cardinals team to pass all over them this season.
3 - Arizona Cardinals
The aura of mystery surrounding the Arizona Cardinals defensive backs keeps me from ranking them higher. For one, I need a guarantee that Budda Baker will be there long-term, and for another, I need to see an effective player take over the CB2 spot.
Oh, and I also need to see Isaiah Simmons come into his own at the position. The Cardinals can have an outstanding secondary this season, but there is just too little to go on at the moment.
2 - Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks get the nod over the Cardinals thanks to their overall potential. Jamal Adams could have a bounce back season, and Devon Witherspoon could be an outstanding player off the bat, and that doesn’t count a pair of remarkable talents in Quandre Diggs and Riq Woolen.
This unit isn’t the “Legion of Boom,” but they could transform into the best the Seahawks have had since the Legion haunted opposing offenses. Don’t look for many teams to pass on the Seahawks in 2023, and the Cardinals would do well to get the running game going.
1 - San Francisco 49ers
I came close, so close, to ranking the Seahawks over the San Francisco 49ers. And while I believe the Seahawks can have the better defensive backfield, it’s not quite there yet.
For starters, Tashaun Gipson and Talanoa Hufanga may be the only safety tandem in the league that would top the Baker-Thompson combo, given their combined nine picks last season and 202 return yards. Then they got Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, a pair of strong up-and-comers who could easily find a spot in the upper-echelon at the position this season.
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(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)