Today marks the final Sunday before the Arizona Cardinals begin their 2024 season. The first training camp session will begin Thursday, July 25, at 1:15 P.M. MST at State Farm Stadium. They’ll begin the second year under general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon, looking to build upon the foundation they laid last season.
Here are five story lines to watch as the Cardinals begin training camp.
1. How does Kyler Murray look with a full offseason to hone his craft?
A year ago, starting quarterback Kyler Murray was working from an ACL injury suffered in December 2022. He came back in November, starting the Cardinals’ final eight games. In those games, the Cardinals were 3-5 and averaged 22.4 points per game scored.
Now he’ll have a full offseason where he can spend time working on his craft rather than rehabbing an injury, which means more opportunities to work with his teammates and the coaches. It’s going to be a big year for Murray to re-establish himself as the leader and long-term starter in Arizona. The Cardinals have added talent to the receiver room in the offseason, coupled with some breakout performances in 2023 by tight end Trey McBride and receiver Michael Wilson, gives them a solid group to work with.
The controlled nature of the practices might not be much to go off of, but it’s an opportunity for him to establish chemistry with some of their new additions. We won’t get to see the full offense before Week 1 of the regular season
2. Where do the rookies fit in?
The Cardinals spent their top draft selection on Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., with the idea he’ll quickly develop into a top receiver. How quickly he gets up to speed could determine the ceiling of the offense for the season. It’s not unprecedented for a top receiver prospect to click in the first year, as Ja’Marr Chase caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns with the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals in 2021.
Beyond Harrison, rookies that figure to get significant playing time in 2024 include fellow first rounder Darius Robinson. Robinson should get significant playing time, with the versatility to play defensive end and move inside on passing downs. Max Melton and Elijah Jones join a very young cornerback room, with the team spending four draft picks at the position in the first two seasons.
The Cardinals will need a lot of their young talent to take a step forward in 2024 in order for them to progress. Most of the impact young talent will be on the offensive side of the ball.
3. Paris Johnson Jr. shifts to left tackle
Paris Johnson Jr. was the Cardinals’ top draft selection in the 2023 draft and spent his entire rookie season as the starting right tackle. With the team moving on from long-time starting left tackle DJ Humphries in a cap-cutting move, Johnson is expect to move back to his natural spot covering Murray’s blind side.
Switching sides on the offensive line can be an issue, but this is less of an issue considering he’s played that spot before it should be less of an issue. He has a year of reps at both tackle spots, playing left tackle at Ohio State in 2022 and right tackle for the Cardinals in 2023. Jonah Williams, who signed a two-year free will take over at right tackle.
4. Can the Cardinals defense improve in their second year under Nick Rallis?
The Cardinals were not a good defense in 2023. They ranked 31st in points per game (26.8) and percentage of drives that scored (44.0%), with only the Washington Commanders ranking worse in both categories. They were dead last in third down conversions, allowing opposing offense to extend drives on 47.3% of their opportunities. Going into 2024, those numbers need to drastically improve.
The biggest issue facing the Cardinals defense is the inability to slow down opposing running game, putting them behind the chains in down and distance situations. They’ve attempted to address that issue in free agency, signing defensive tackles Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols to anchor the interior of the defensive line. They also signed Mack Wilson Sr. to play linebacker.
By getting into better down and distance situations, that should help their pass rush be able to generate pressure. Their 17.3% pressure rate was the second worst in the NFL last season. As mentioned above, the Cardinals have spent a lot of draft capital on their cornerback room, with the hopes that more competitive pass coverage will buy more time for the pass rush to get there. They’ll be looking at getting more out of second-year edge rusher BJ Ojulari along with continued development from outside linebackers Zaven Collins and Dennis Gardeck.
5. What is a successful 2024 season for the Cardinals?
2024 is an evaluation year for the Cardinals, as they need to find out which players can step up and make plays when the team needs them. They need to find out who can make the big pass, the big catch, break tackles, make stops, or force turnovers. The more players they have that can do that, the better shape they’ll be this season and beyond.
The Cardinals are banking on Murray being able to deliver big passes for them, as he’s now getting paid like a top quarterback. They’ve drafted Harrison to grow into the guy who can make the big catches. James Conner is coming off his first 1,000-yard season, averaging a career-high 80.0 yards per game. The defensive side of the ball is more unsettled, with this season perhaps answering those questions.
If the Cardinals feel confident they have the guys that can make things happen for them, they’ll either arrive a year early in contention for a playoff spot or position themselves to make a run with a strong offseason next spring.
