The Arizona Cardinals are generating some buzz as a team on the rise in the NFC West, despite quarterback Kyler Murray‘s supporting cast lacking consistent firepower behind former first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr., but that could be about to change.
As the regular season approaches, the Cardinals could be one of the more aggressive teams looking to add on the trade front or off the waiver wire following roster cuts, especially to add weapons around Arizona’s 27-year-old quarterback ahead of a pressure-packed season.
According to ESPN’s Seth Walder, a deal to acquire Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks would be a win-win for both franchises.
“[Green Bay] can afford to part with Wicks,” Walder writes for ESPN. “A 2023 fifth-round pick who hasn’t put it all together despite showing potential. Over his first two seasons in Green Bay, he has recorded 996 receiving yards (1.8 yards per route run). That puts him behind Reed (2.3 yards per route run in the same span) and Watson (2.0) but ahead of Doubs (1.6).
Arizona is in the opposite situation. After Marvin Harrison Jr., the Cardinals’ wide receiver room features Zay Jones, Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch — a fairly lackluster group. Trey McBride emerged as another top option last season, but another wide receiver could complement (and hopefully help unlock) Harrison, who had a mediocre first season in the league relative to his predraft hopes. Wicks’ raw numbers undersell his upside in my opinion, and Arizona would be making a bet to that effect. In ESPN’s receiver scores last year, Wicks recorded an 84 open score but a zero catch score — the lowest one can have — after an astounding 10 drops on 76 targets.”
For the Packers, trading Wicks, who has caught 78 career passes for 996 yards with nine touchdowns, while averaging 12.8 yards per reception, would clear a logjam at wide receiver after adding rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals would be adding a 24-year-old ascending talent who might benefit from a change of scenery and could be a spark in a passing game looking to add reliable options opposite Harrison Jr.
In a season where the pressure is on Murray to perform, bringing in a young, ascending talent like Wicks might be the key to unlocking the full potential of Arizona’s passing game and elevating them into becoming a true contender in the NFC West.
Cardinals’ Big Additions Up Front Already Making an Impact
GettyHow quickly can Arizona Cardinals rookie defensive tackle Walter Nolen III be expected to make an impact?
This offseason, Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort seems to have made it his mission to build out a defense in head coach Jonathan Gannon’s image.
Shopping at the top of the free agent market, Ossenfort and the Cardinals inked edge rusher Josh Sweat to a $76.4 million deal fresh off a dominant Super Bowl performance from the 28-year-old playmaker before doubling down in the NFL Draft by adding defensive end Walter Nolen and cornerback Will Johnson in the second round.
Arizona’s revamped front has the potential not just to impose its will on opposing offensive lines on its way to wreaking havoc against opposing quarterbacks but also give the Cardinals’ secondary a significant boost.
Through this spring’s OTA and minicamp practices, Cardinals safety Joey Blount is already seeing the impact of Nolen, Sweat, and veteran defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson‘s arrival on an already ascending defense.
“It helps us out a lot on the back-end of the defense,” Blount told me recently. “Getting constant pressure, we have a lot of great edge rushers, and interior linemen that are going to cause havoc up front.
“Now that we have those guys up front, the quarterback won’t have as much time, or he’ll be more conscious of the people rushing him, which gives us on the back-end more time to make plays on the ball. Once you get the havoc up front, it opens up blitz packages, it opens up more special drops, forces them into more third and longs and we can get into different sub-packages, so it’s going to really help us open up an entire defense and it’s only going to help us be a better team.”
Arizona finished ranked No. 19 in total defense last season, while allowing 22.3 points per game, so it is easy to see why bolstering that side of the football became a top offseason priority for the Cardinals.
In an NFC West where the Seattle Seahawks are breaking in a new quarterback and offensive mentality, the San Francisco 49ers are looking to return to health after an injury-riddled season, and the Los Angeles Rams’ blend of young talent and veterans key positions may be the most complete roster in the division, the Cardinals investments on defense could help close the gap this season.
Cardinals Blockbuster Trade Pitch Adds 9 Touchdown WR to Boost Kyler Murray, Marvin Harrison Jr.