The Phoenix Ain’t Rising – Arizona Cardinals’ Dismal 2023 Journey

In a turn for the worst, the 2023 chaotic saga of the Arizona Cardinals is taking yet another downturn. The once promising team, blazing under the bright Arizona sun, has been having more than a rough spell and finds itself spiraling downwards in a vortex of disappointments and setbacks in this NFL season of 2023.

It was precisely when quarterback prodigy Kyler Murray stumbled in an apparently harmless scramble that their season took a nosedive; from there on, it went from bad to terrible. To make matters worse, with Murray nursing an ACL tear for the worst part of the season, it is uncertain when the main man will be back in action.

Internal Ripples: Departures of Watt, Kingsbury and Keim

Adding to the overall gloom, the Cardinals have gotten their wings clipped game after game… 7 to be exact. Unfortunate events began to drop like dead birds, signaling an ugly ending. The path took an even steeper drop with the unexpected retirement of stalwart J.J. Watt, and the dismissal of coach Kliff Kingsbury. Also, with the departure of GM Steve Keim, management entered a state of disarray.

The search for a new head coach led them to Jonathan Gannon, considered a rookie in the head coach’s circle, which gave rise to murmurs of surprise across the NFL. The team’s conduct during this selection process was not without controversy, leading to the necessity of draft pick compensation to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Silent Free Agency: Loss of Allen, Murphy, Baker & Hopkins

As if the internal ripples weren’t enough, the latest Arizona Cardinal rumors are that the team’s free agency period was suspiciously silent, which raised many eyebrows.

The Cardinals, with substantial salary-cap space, made minimal moves, losing Zach Allen and Byron Murphy Jr. The blow was deepened with the Cardinals team’s star safety Budda Baker expressing his wish for a trade, further shaking the Cardinal’s foundation.

One of the biggest heartaches for fans, however, was the departure of DeAndre Hopkins. Despite a mutual agreement on a trade, the Cardinals were unable to find any takers for the receiver. This resulted in Hopkins being cut, leaving a substantial $22.6 million dead cap hit as a bitter farewell gift.

Accusations on Misconduct

The storm continued to brew with accusations from former executive Terry McDonough, charging team owner Michael Bidwill with various counts of misconduct. Plus, the NFLPA poll result didn’t paint a pretty picture either, awarding the Cardinals an F grade in multiple areas.

From being one of the formidable forces in the first half of the 2021 season to the cellar dwellers of 2023, the Super Bowl championship of 1947 seems like a distant memory. Can the Phoenix rise from its ashes once again?

Cardinals Look to 2024 Draft for Salvation

The financial burden of Kyler Murray’s contract looms large over the Cardinals: next season’s cap hit stands at a substantial $51.9 million, decreasing only slightly to $43.5 million for the remainder of his contract, which runs through 2028. Furthermore, besides the big spending, the weight of Murray’s contract is kinda heavy considering that his performance has been inconsistent on the field, which leaves the Cardinals questioning their future with him. Plus, with star player DeAndre Hopkins having fled the nest, the Cardinals trailed at the tail end of the league in yards per pass, and the upcoming season doesn’t look too promising.

Well, there’s always a silver lining: the Arizona Cardinals can at least look forward to a promising 2024 NFL Draft. A difficult season might put the Cardinals in pole position for the top overall draft pick. The end goal of securing the top two picks of next year’s draft provides some consolation for what is expected to be a long, drawn-out, resourceless season.

The promise of the 2024 NFL Draft indeed provides a beacon of hope amidst the chaos.

Stay tuned with PointSpreads for more on necessary news!

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