The Arizona Cardinals are set to kick off the 2024 NFL season with a renewed sense of purpose. After enduring back-to-back 4-13 seasons, the team is embracing a narrative of quiet determination. Central to this resurgence is quarterback Kyler Murray, who returns to the field at full strength after missing significant portions of the last two seasons due to a torn ACL.
Murray, who won the 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and earned two Pro Bowl selections in his first three healthy seasons, is eager to silence his doubters. "Yeah, I mean, let them sleep. Our job is to wake them up and allow them to realize what's going on out here," he declared, setting the tone for the upcoming campaign. "I can understand why people are sleeping on me... In this world, it's kind of what have you done for me lately? We haven't won. So, I understand, but I'm primed and ready to prove what I'm able to do, what I'm capable of, what this team's capable of."
Murray's confidence is buoyed by the addition of rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., whom the Cardinals selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft. Harrison Jr. led college football in touchdown catches over the last two seasons, and his work ethic has already impressed his new quarterback. "I'm super excited for Marvin... The way they carry themselves off the field, in the building, he's catching jugs before or after practice. And a lot of guys do that, but it's different," Murray noted.
Strengthening their offense even further, the Cardinals have high hopes for tight end Trey McBride. McBride caught eight of his nine targets from Murray for 131 receiving yards in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons in 2023, and he ranked among the top NFL tight ends in receptions and receiving yards from Weeks 10-18 last season.
In the backfield, the Cardinals boast a dynamic running game, featuring Trey Benson, Emari Demercado, Michael Carter, and veteran James Conner. Conner had a standout year in 2023, rushing for 1,040 yards and averaging five yards per carry. Remarkably, Arizona's run game ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing yards per game and led the league with four games of 200 or more rushing yards. "Hell, I was surprised at how good we ran the ball last year... I've never seen so many wide open holes," Murray enthused.
The team is also enjoying a sense of cohesion and trust under head coach Jonathan Gannon, to whom Murray attributes much of his renewed optimism. "This is the most confident I've been in the team in a while... It’s a very tight-knit group. And the coaches, and JG [Gannon], man, I can't say enough good things about him," Murray shared. His reflections suggest a player rejuvenated not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. "I was watching the COVID year actually. 2020... I'm just looking, I'm so much better now... a lot of it has to do with being in a system where I feel like I don't have to do everything," he remarked.
As the 2024 season looms, the Cardinals face long odds from sportsbooks, with Caesars placing their chances to win the NFC West at +1500. Yet within the camp, the belief is unshakeable. "For this team? My goal is win the Super Bowl. That's always going to be my goal... I'm excited, but I'm not putting any limits on what this team can do," Murray stated definitively.
The Cardinals' journey in the upcoming season hinges on the harmonious blending of seasoned veterans and promising newcomers, the strategic insights of their coaching staff, and the unyielding drive of players like Kyler Murray. With a fortified roster and an emboldened spirit, Arizona aims to turn the page on past struggles and wake the league to their potential.