TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 16: General manager Monti Ossenfort of the Arizona Cardinals answers a question from the media during a press conference introducing new head coach Jonathan Gannon at Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center on February 16, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
The NFL Draft is just one day away, and the draft rumors are in full force. Whether it’s the odds movement regarding Kentucky quarterback prospect Will Levis, or rumors that Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter may fall. But, the day’s biggest rumor involves the Arizona Cardinals.
Despite some relatively high expectations coming into the season, the Arizona Cardinals were absolutely awful in 2022. They went 4-13, and struggled in all facets.
The season never really got off the ground, as star wide receiver Deandre Hopkins was suspended the first six games of the year for a violation of the performance-enhancing-drug policy, and they went 2-4 in those six games. They got it back to 4-6, theoretically still in the playoff hunt, but the end of the season was dreadful.
The Arizona Cardinals lost their last seven games of the season. More importantly, franchise quarterback Kyler Murray tore his ACL in week 14, and will miss a large chunk, if not all, of the 2023 season.
Coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired, replaced by Jonathan Gannon. General manager Steve Keim was replaced by Monti Ossenfort.
And, the slight-of-stature Murray needs some better offensive line play. The meme of him running for his life like a toddler runs from his parents is funny. But it’s not sustainable. Luckily for him, he may be getting a huge piece toward a better offensive line on Thursday.
Here is Pro Football Talk with more details.
There’s a new favorite to be the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft: Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson.
Johnson is now the betting favorite (at +250 at Draft Kings) to be the third player drafted, after few if any mock drafts had him going that high throughout the pre-draft process.
So what happened? Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported this week that Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray likes Johnson a lot and has told the decision-makers in Arizona that. There’s now talk that the Cardinals want to draft the franchise left tackle that their franchise quarterback wants blocking for him.
Paris Johnson is a massive offensive tackle product, at 6-foot-6, 313 lbs, with 36 inch arms. And, he’s an incredible athlete with a mean streak that has made him famous since high school. And, he would be a big boost to the Arizona Cardinals offensive line.