NFL Exec Says Cardinals are Entering 'Throwaway' Year in 2023

One anonymous NFL executive says the Arizona Cardinals are entering a difficult season as they rebuild.

Though they refuse to admit it, the Arizona Cardinals are entering a rebuild year. 

It wouldn't come across clean if head coach Jonathan Gannon or general manager Monti Ossenfort flat out leaned into a microphone and admitted the Cardinals simply weren't going to compete. That's bad business for the NFL (especially after taking Miami's first-round pick away for purposely trying to lose games) and there's too much pride at stake for players and coaches to purposely lose. 

Yet the Cardinals - who finished 4-13 last season and have only regressed in terms of talent - are going through the process the right way. They haven't made any splash moves in free agency, and they're likely to take advantage of their No. 3 pick by trading it away and acquiring more assets to fill the roster. 

2023 might have been a tough year with a healthy Kyler Murray under center, but his rehab from a torn ACL (with no timetable in place and no rush from the organization to get him back on the field) leaves little hope that the new season would bring any success in the standings. 

That's not exactly a secret around the league, as one anonymous NFL exec told The Athletic that the Cardinals were preparing to enter a "throwaway" year in 2023.

“They have a new coach and a new GM who have never worked together, and their super-expensive quarterback is out,” the exec said. “I don’t want to say this is a throwaway year, but it’s a throwaway year.”

Even in the unlikely scenario DeAndre Hopkins stays, the Cardinals have still lost a considerable amount of talent on the defensive side of the ball - particularly in the front seven. J.J. Watt retired, Zach Allen left in free agency and Markus Golden was released. 

“This is a defensive head coach (Jonathan Gannon) who is used to having premium pass-rush in Philadelphia,” another executive told The Athletic. “Your $250 million quarterback is in the second year of his extension, and he is going to miss half the year. It is going to be tough all around.”

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