It Really Is This Bad: Projected Starters 2023

[Cbus cardsfan]

Lol, I think I’d have to welch on that bet. Don’t know if I could say 4 nice things about Kliff.
Kyler would be no problem.

 

[Goldfield]

Lol, I think I’d have to welch on that bet. Don’t know if I could say 4 nice things about Kliff.
Kyler would be no problem.

Same

 

[PACardsFan]

We can't know that yet, especially with the coaching staff. We can hope and expect it to be so, but we can't unequivocally know.

You may not know that, but I do. Kingsbury was the most unqualified HC in NFL history. JG has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s at least qualified to be an NFL HC. And as far as the FO is concerned, I’ll take my chances with a GM that spent the brunt of his time with the Patriots.

 

[FB94]

Dennis Daley is projected as the LG starter?

In the words of Moneyball WHO?

 

[Covert Rain]

This season is going to be so tough to watch.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The difference is that we have a far better front office & coaching staff than what we had in 2003.

Uh huh. I don’t know how anyone can say this yet without seeing the results of this train wreck of a roster this FO has purposefully put together.

And the same reasoning applies to all the Coach Beta years also.

Says the guy who repeatedly bashed people who dared call out Keim for being a disaster. But now we definitely have a better FO? I’ve seen you sing that tune before and be dead wrong so you’re faith here doesn’t give me much hope.

And once Murray is back, the QB comparison to 2003 isn’t even remotely a comparison.

Except we have no idea when he’s going to be back and in amazing Cardinals fashion, our starter opening day is somehow worse than Jeff Blake.

This team will play hard & play smart. Something we haven’t seen in a long time.

I see no reason to have the blind faith you do.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Except we have no idea when he’s going to be back and in amazing Cardinals fashion, our starter opening day is somehow worse than Jeff Blake.

Brutal slam.

 

[elindholm]

It's going to be bad but at least we know it going in, sounds weird but I think I'll be happy with both wins and losses this year

Why are you assuming that you'll experience both?

 

[BirdGangThing]

Why are you assuming that you'll experience both?

You're absolutely right, we might not win a game this season

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I know that's fun to say, but this team is objectively better than that 2003 team. Marcel Shipp wouldn't make this team. It's just that the NFL is better than it was 20 years ago.

Kyzir White >>>>> Ronald McKinnon
Budda Baker >>>> Dexter Jackson

The starting corners on that 2003 team were Renaldo Hill and David Barrett (???????????)

Uh, shipp would make this squad. White is in his third team in as many years. Not sure he’s better than McKinnon who was just okay. Budda is better. And I’m not crowing about greasefire and Wilson over hill and Barrett.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Uh, shipp would make this squad. White is in his third team in as many years. Not sure he’s better than McKinnon who was just okay. Budda is better. And I’m not crowing about greasefire and Wilson over hill and Barrett.

Which year Marcel Shipp?
2002 version ran for 834 yards, 6TDs, and 4.4 average. That one would surely make the team.

Even the 2003 version would probably make the team.
830 yards, 0TDs. 3.6 average

 

[TJ]

This is kind of drafting on @Garthshort's post about who will be better to start the season. Under Keim, the Arizona Cardinals media relations team built the preseason depth chart (and maybe the in-season depth chart) that was published online. We won't see an official depth chart for almost a month.

So here's the unofficial depth chart according to me. Consider putting this post on ice if you've eaten recently; you may be sick:

Offense:

LT - D.J. Humphries
LG - Dennis Daley
C - Hjalte Froholdt
RG - Will Hernandez
RT - Paris Johnson, Jr.
TE - Zach Ertz
TE - Trey McBride
WR - Hollywood Brown
WR - Zach Pascal
RB - James Conner
QB - Colt McCoy

Notes:
- This looks like a bottom-third NFL offense. That seems bad, but when you get to the defense you'll see it could be worse.
- Daley has a bunch of NFL starts and should be regarded as the front-runner for the LG job until proven otherwise. He was signed early in free agency, which should indicate how and why he might have been a priority for the Cards.
- It's really hard to envision what Rondale Moore's role in the offense will be. You'd prefer to kick Pascal or Brown inside in 3WR sets to bring Wilson on the field. I know @Chopper0080 feels like he's going to be a running back in this offense, and that's his closest path to playing time.
- Colt McCoy is a good dude, but he'll likely be the worst or second-worst opening day starter in the NFL.

Defense

EDGE - Dennis Gardeck
DL - Rashard Lawrence
DL - Leki Fotu
DL - Cameron Thomas
EDGE - Zaven Collins
LB - Kyzir White
CB - Marco Wilson
CB - Antonio Hamilton
CB - Isiah Simmons
S - Budda Baker
S - Jalen Thompson

- Barf emoji forever here.
- Kyzir White is a bit of an enigma. When you look at his stats you'd think he's a solid starter, but he's going to be on his third team in as many seasons. There are probably limitations there that we won't see until the regular season.
- I really tried to project Myjai Sanders into the starting lineup because I like the kid. The preseason silence about him has been deafening. I think he could be a situational pass rusher with Ojulari, or he could take Zaven Collins' role if he's unable to do it.
- I think Cam Thomas bulked up and moves inside full-time. He could be our best defensive lineman right now, which really shows how terrible this defense is.

This is an expansion team starting line up. This season is going to be borderline unwatchable

 

[Stout]

You may not know that, but I do. Kingsbury was the most unqualified HC in NFL history. JG has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s at least qualified to be an NFL HC. And as far as the FO is concerned, I’ll take my chances with a GM that spent the brunt of his time with the Patriots.

Nah. You believe it, but beliefs aren't facts. Nothing's certain until it's certain. FWIW, I also believe Gannon will be better than Kliffy, and Monti better than Bluto. Those aren't high bars, however.

 

[CardNots]

Lot of ship jumpers.

what I’m hearing is how I felt going into the season last year. At least this year I have a different GM, Head coach and coaching staff. Add to that equation a lot of new faces on the playing field. I cannot predict the outcome for this year but it will be interesting.

As a long time cardinals fan, there is nothing short of a Super Bowl championship or a no win season I haven’t experienced before. With a wealth of draft assets at least I’ll be following college football closely making my football season good entertainment.

We will be news worthy no matter how the team performs.

 

[phillycard]

It's going to be bad but at least we know it going in, sounds weird but I think I'll be happy with both wins and losses this year

I'm just going to enjoy my Sundays. Good food, good drink and the Cardinals on my TV. That's really where I'm at this year. Not going to get too mad over losses like in the past because expectations are as low as I can ever remember in my 46 years of fandom.

 

[Dayman]

On the bright side, at least the drop off won't be so bad once injuries hit. Except for RB. Conner isn't great, but his backups are atrocious.

 

[BritCard]

I'm confident a bunch of those players don't start.

First I don't expect Kyler is going to miss as many games as we though. So while McCoy may start a few it won't be a lot.

I expect the O line to be

Hump, Hayes, Froholdt, Hernandez Johnson.

Daley wouldn't he be top 3 for LG. I'd expect Jones, Gaines and Wilkinson to get looks at LG over Daley. But I think Hayes will win the job due to his age, contract status and ultimately I think he's the best player in that group. He's a big long armed unit I think will suit their game.

McBride and Ertz are obvious. Conner and a rotation at RB too.

At WR I don't expect anyone to play more than 70% of snap except Brown. Not sure there will be a starter as such, more a rotation. I think Wilson might ultimately play the most as it makes sense to blood him in a down year.

On defense, no way Gardeck is starting and no way Thomas plays inside.

I expect the 3 are likely to be Lawrence, Watkins and Fotu.

Edge is hard to pin down but I expect Ojulari will start. I don't see this staff holding back top 50 picks. I think Sanders may win the other side, but I think there will be a lot of situation rotation as that's what the Eagles did. Horses for courses.

At CB there's a lot up in the air. I'd expect Wilson and Fenton to start outside. And Clark to start in the slot. But Matthew might also come on in year 2 and I'd expect Garrett Williams to take a job when healthy.

I don't think Simmons starts.

I still think Collins will mainly play ILB with White and the OTA stuff was just working on some things for how they plan to move him around a little.


I don't think we will be "one of the worst teams ever". It depends when Kyler comes back but those teams generally have bad QB's and bad coaches. There are more factors in play than how a roster looks on paper. The 2008 team was the 21st ranked pre season team.

But it likely won't be great. New coach. Hobbled QB etc.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Nah. You believe it, but beliefs aren't facts. Nothing's certain until it's certain. FWIW, I also believe Gannon will be better than Kliffy, and Monti better than Bluto. Those aren't high bars, however.

Soggy potato chips would have been better than Keim.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Lol, I think I’d have to welch on that bet. Don’t know if I could say 4 nice things about Kliff.

Ah, come on. He did good things for this franchise, even if you didn't think he was the right coach, or shouldn't have been a coach at all.

Kyler would be no problem.

Nice.

If you're that confident you are going to win, it shouldn't matter, right?

 

[Stout]

Soggy potato chips would have been better than Keim.

Buffalo chips would have been better than Keim

 

[MadCardDisease]

Pretty much what everyone is expecting. We all know this team will be bad in 2023. Especially a defense that is devoid of talent.

Dennis Daley... I have to be honest here and didn't even remember that he was on the team. Had to google him when I saw he was on your projected starting roster. There has to be a better starting option here.

Dennis Gardeck... I just can't see him as a starter on the edge. I'd rather have one of the young guys in there getting reps over a career backup. BJ Ojulair? Sanders?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Pretty much what everyone is expecting. We all know this team will be bad in 2023.

Dennis Daley... I have to be honest here and didn't even remember that he was on the team. Had to google him when I saw he was on your projected starting roster. There has to be a better starting option here.

Dennis Gardeck... I just can't see him as a starter on the edge. I'd rather have one of the young guys in there getting reps over a career backup.

100% on everything. In a bad year, on a bad team, it makes little sense to play Gardeck over Myjai and Ojulari.

 

[kerouac9]

AFAIK Ojulari hasn't participated in the offseason program at all from a combination of contract situation (which shouldn't matter) and injury.

People complaining about DHop not practicing is fine with handing Ojulari getting handed a starting job because of draft status alone?

Seventh-round draft pick Marquis Hayes, selected by the prior regime, over a guy who's started three dozen NFL games? Who was a priority free agency by all indications? Okay.

 

[kerouac9]

I don't think we will be "one of the worst teams ever". It depends when Kyler comes back but those teams generally have bad QB's and bad coaches. There are more factors in play than how a roster looks on paper. The 2008 team was the 21st ranked pre season team.

But it likely won't be great. New coach. Hobbled QB etc.

I agree with this. It feels pretty rare for a bad team to be memorably bad. The Bears earned the #1 overall pick last year, and I can't tell you why except they played in a fairly good division.

The 2021 Jags won the #1 overall pick (the second in a row!) by being hilariously inept with a head coach stepping off the team plane after a roadie to finger-bang a coed at his steakhouse. But the 2020 Jags only won one game (the first of the season!) and I couldn't tell you anything about that team.

The winless Lions and the inept Cleveland Browns under Hue Jackson were the most charismatic losers in my memory. The 2023 Cards are likely to fall into the anonymous catastrophes similar to the Houston Texans of recent vintage.

 

[MadCardDisease]

AFAIK Ojulari hasn't participated in the offseason program at all from a combination of contract situation (which shouldn't matter) and injury.

People complaining about DHop not practicing is fine with handing Ojulari getting handed a starting job because of draft status alone?

Seventh-round draft pick Marquis Hayes, selected by the prior regime, over a guy who's started three dozen NFL games? Who was a priority free agency by all indications? Okay.

Contract signing is way different than feeling like you don't need to practice with the team.

Dennis "selected by the prior regime" Gardeck