July 14th, 2019 
Matt Loede 
Posted in 
Football Gameplan’s 2019 NFL Team Preview: Arizona Cardinals
00:49 – 4-Minute Offense
2:34 – Positional Breakdown
9:19 – Hunt’s Playbook
14:07 – Fantasy Focus
16:48 – Best Bets
17:20 – Training Camp Quick Takes
20:42 – Road to the Super Bowl
Cornerback Patrick Peterson Wants to Be a Cardinal For Life
Sometimes disgruntled Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson now says he “would love to be a Cardinal for life” according to Logan Reardon of NFL.com.
The 29-year-old veteran, currently facing a six-game PED suspension to start the 2019 season, was visibly unhappy in 2018 and at one point demanded a trade. The primary problem appeared to be since-deposed head coach Steve Wilks’ zone coverage scheme-plus understandable frustration over the team’s dismal season.
Fortunately, the 29-year-old former All-Pro has had a change of heart. . “I love Arizona,” said the eight-time Pro Bowler. “I’m in a very happy place with the team.” Once he returns in Week 7, Peterson should be much happier with new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph who specializes in the secondary. He has two years left on his current contract.
Three Questions About the Cardinals as Training Camp Gets Closer
Better or worse?
The Arizona Cardinals made wholesale changes this past offseason, firing coach Steve Wilks and trading last year’s first-round pick QB Josh Rosen.
In are Kliff Kingsbury as coach and Kyler Murray as the first overall pick after a three-win season, and it might be a case of being worse before they get better.
Today we take a quick look at three questions about this team as they get set to embark on what they hope will be a better season with new faces.
1. Murray’s Development
Training camp is a time for players to get in shape, and in the case of rookies to learn the playbook. That will be critical in the case of first pick Kyler Murray, who will get every chance to be the starter come opening day.
Murray has shown play-making skills during OTA’s, but playing well in camp as well as in the preseason is another story.
It would be a letdown if Murray is on the bench when the team opens the season.
2. A David Johnson Rebound
The best playmaker for the Cardinals is running back David Johnson, who last season in 16 games rushed for 940 yards and seven scores.
Based on seasons past that’s a bit of a letdown for Johnson, who is use to 1000-yard plus seasons, and also is usually a threat in the passing game.
Johnson can become Murray’s best friend and ally early in the season, the game plan has to include a lot of the Cards running back.
3. Nowhere But Up?
The Cardinals had no real identity last season, as they offense was dead last, 32nd in the league in points scored (14.1 a game) and the defense was 26th of 32 teams in points allowed (26.6 points per game).
It will be up to Kingsbury to give this team a bit of attitude, and that’s got to start at training camp.
He’s got to win this team over right away, and if he can do that, the club could surprise some teams early on.
Brett Hundley Says He’ll Push No. 1 Pick Kyler Murray in Training Camp
Cardinals quarterback Brett Hundley is expected to be the backup to No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray in 2019, but Hundley isn’t giving up the job easily.
The four-year veteran joined the Cardinals on a one-year contract in March. He was expected to backup Josh Rosen at the time of the acquisition. The Cardinals traded Rosen during the 2019 NFL Draft, after selecting Murray out of Oklahoma with the top pick.
Hundley has spent time backing up Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, but said he is competing for the starting job in Arizona.
“The knowledge that I have, I’m able to pass it along to [Murray], especially through this journey of his because the NFL isn’t a sprint. It’s a long distance marathon,” Hundley told TMZ Sports.
“For me, my goal has always been to start, no matter what position it’s in. I don’t play to be second. So I think that’s my number one goal, to get that starting job and at the same time, it’s a competition for a reason.”
Hundley, 26, did not take a snap last season. He completed 60.8 percent of his throws for 1,836 yards, nine scores and 12 interceptions in 11 games in 2017 for the Packers, while playing for an injured Rodgers. Hundley posted a 3-6 record as a starter in 2017.
The fifth round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft was traded to the Seahawks in August in exchange for a sixth round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Hundley — an Arizona native — said he feels like he “could really do some damage” with the Cardinals since he is in the “right kind of offense” and has learned from his past experiences.
Cardinals rookies report to training camp July 17 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Veterans report July 24.
Cardinals Draft Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray with First Pick in 2019 NFL Draft
After months of speculation the pick is in – and the Cardinals on Thursday drafted quarterback Kyler Murray from Oklahoma with the first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Murray is the second straight first-round pick by the Cards after taking Josh Rosen in the first round last season.
Some notes from 247 Sports on Murray:
HISTORIC COLLEGE PRODUCTION
Through eight games, Murray is having one of the best quarterbacking seasons in college football history, completing 73.2 percent of his passes for 2,329 yards, 28 touchdowns and three interceptions while adding 474 yards and six more touchdowns on the ground. He’s averaging an absurd 12.7 yards per pass attempt. With Murray at the helm, Oklahoma is averaging 48.9 points per game and a nation best 8.9 yards per play, which would be the NCAA record.
The last two seasons saw Mayfield, Murray’s predecessor at Oklahoma and the eventual top pick in 2018’s draft, comfortably break the NCAA record for passer efficiency rating set by Russell Wilson in 2011. Along with Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa (238.8 rating), Murray is on pace to smash Mayfield’s mark.
It’s difficult to contextualize just how good Tagovailoa and Murray have been from a historical perspective. The gap between Murray’s current rating of 227.34 and Mayfield’s 2017 rating (198.9) is equal to distance between that record mark and the the 58th best rating. In short, it’s cavernous.
It should come as no surprise that Tagovailoa and Murray are Nos. 1 and 2 in about every Heisman poll. In any other season, Murray would be a runaway favorite. It’s worth noting that the last nine quarterbacks to win the Heisman have been picked in the first round. Every Heisman finalist quarterback since 2014 has also gone in the first.
With Tagovailoa a true sophomore, Murray is the most productive and efficient draft-eligible quarterback in college football, by a good margin. Only West Virginia’s Will Grier comes remotely close to Murray’s numbers to this point. And that’s not counting Murray’s rushing ability.
And let’s not forget about this Tweet from February:
Y’all are having fun with speculation, but… pic.twitter.com/dy4NbJ82iB
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) February 12, 2019
Former NFL WR Antonio Bryant Says Cardinals Not Taking QB Kyler Murray at #1
Remember wide out Antonio Bryant?
He had a couple decent years in the NFL catching passes, but today is making headlines at his claim that there’s no way the Cardinals are taking QB Kyler Murray with the first pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft.
Bryant says that Murray will not go number one, but that the Cardinals will take defensive end Nick Bosa with the first pick.
Here’s what Pro Football Talk says about the matter:
On Monday, Bryant said that he’s “hearing from people in the Cardinals organization” that Bosa sits at No. 1 on the Arizona board, and that the team will stick with Rosen at quarterback. Tuesday morning, Bryant doubled down.
“I’m telling you I trust my source,” Bryant said. “This ain’t no smokescreen. . . . The Cardinals are going to draft Nick Bosa 1st overall. . . . Just wait on it.”
Bryant may have made a potentially telling slip in his second tweet, narrowing his sourcing from “people in the Cardinals organization” to one specific person: “I trust my source.”
We will see in two days who is right.
Video: Cardinals Taking QB Murray in Latest NFL Mock Draft
The NFL Draft is now 48 hours away, and in the latest video on ESPN, their latest Mock has the Cardinals going QB in round one, taking Kyler Murray.
Check out the Complete 2019 Arizona Cardinals Schedule
The 2019 NFL Schedule is out – and Cardinals fans you can start to look at what trips you want to take and days off as well!
Here it is – the complete 2019 Cards slate!
Sept. 8 Detroit Lions 4:25
Sept. 15 at Baltimore Ravens 1:00
Sept. 22 Carolina Panthers 4:05
Sept. 29 Seattle Seahawks 4:05
Oct. 6 at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00
Oct. 13 Atlanta Falcons 4:05
Oct. 20 at New York Giants 1:00
Oct. 27 at New Orleans Saints 1:00
Oct. 31 San Francisco 49ers (Thu) 8:20
Nov. 10 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:00
Nov. 17 at San Francisco 49ers 4:05
Bye
Dec. 1 Los Angeles Rams 4:05
Dec. 8 Pittsburgh Steelers 4:25
Dec. 15 Cleveland Browns 4:05
Dec. 22 at Seattle Seahawks 4:25
Dec. 29 at Los Angeles Rams 4:25
