National Football League

NFL young talent rankings: No. 31 Cardinals rebuilding after draft disasters

Updated Aug. 1, 2023 8:14 a.m. ET

Which NFL teams have the best young cores? FOX Sports took a deep look at every team's core of players drafted between 2019 and 2023 to ascertain which franchises have the most promising base of young talent. Our writers ranked all 32 individually, and the final result is an aggregate of all those lists. We'll count them down for you before the start of the 2023 NFL season, starting with the worst (No. 32) all the way up to No. 1.

With a new general manager in Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon, the Arizona Cardinals are clearly in rebuild mode.

And that means turning over a roster that had leaned heavily on veteran players at premium positions as the old regime tried to chase wins in the NFC West.

Ossenfort showed Arizona's hand during a busy offseason, letting talented players like defensive lineman Zach Allen and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. sign elsewhere in free agency, releasing receiver DeAndre Hopkins and trading back from the No. 3 overall selection in this year's draft with the Houston Texans for more draft capital in 2024.

The result is the Cardinals have 11 picks next year, including two firsts, a second and two thirds — six picks in the top 100.

With both Arizona and Houston expected to finish among the bottom feeders in the NFL again this season, the Cardinals could absolutely have two picks in the top five, giving them the possibility to move on from the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft in Kyler Murray and grab someone like USC's Caleb Williams should Murray struggle in his return from ACL knee surgery.

"I was a fan of a lot of their moves (of the last regime)," FOX Sports draft analyst Rob Rang said. "But at the same time, it was very clear they were going for flashy athleticism, whether it be skill position on offense or first-round picks on linebackers. Whereas now, I think it's going to be much more a focus on the line of scrimmage, getting bigger and stronger. I think it's going to be much more about physicality and accountability than athleticism and upside."

Young core:

QB Kyler Murray

WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown

S Isaiah Simmons

OT Paris Johnson Jr.

OLB Zaven Collins

Standout: Kyler Murray

Yes, Murray had his worst season as a pro last year, finishing 2022 on the injured list after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee against the New England Patriots in Week 14. Murray had surgery to fix his knee in January and started training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension last offseason that included a well-publicized study clause that the team later removed. There's been speculation about his work ethic and leadership skills. But Murray is still 25 years old (He turns 26 on Aug. 7), won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and has been to two Pro Bowls.

Cardinals OT Kelvin Beachum says Kyler Murray needs 'be a man and grow up'

"I'm not ready to give up on Kyler Murray because I think he can be a high-end player," FOX Sports NFL Analyst Bucky Brooks said. "I think what he needed was probably some hard coaching to go with it. He might have been given too much, too soon. And so now you've got to rein him back in. I'm not confident that Jonathan Gannon is that guy, but I also know he led that team to the playoffs.

"He's won games. He's played at a high level where he's been recognized for that. So he's not a throwaway. He's a good player."

Potential breakout: Paris Johnson

The Cardinals traded the No. 3 overall selection in this year's draft to the Houston Texans, who took Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson. In return, Arizona received the No. 12 selection, along with the No. 33 pick in the second round and first and third-round selections in 2024.

Ossenfort maneuvered back up the board to select an offensive lineman in Johnson at No. 6. In need of offensive line help to better protect Murray and run the ball efficiently, the Cardinals appear to have picked a foundational player up front for the next decade in Johnson.

"I think Paris Johnson is easily the No. 1 tackle in this class," Rang said. "I think he gives you an awful lot of comfort moving forward if D.J. Humphries is at his peak or declining at any point, then you already have the heir apparent on the roster. And with Paris Johnson and his previous experience playing on the right side at Ohio State, I think he has the ability to plug in wherever you need him."

Contracts to consider: Isaiah Simmons

The Cardinals declined to pick up the fifth-year option on Simmons' rookie deal, making it a distinct possibility that the Clemson product leaves next season in free agency. Selected No. 8 overall in the 2020 draft, Arizona has yet to find Simmons a permanent home on defense to put his freakish athleticism on full display. Simmons finished with 99 combined tackles, four sacks and two interceptions in a hybrid outside linebacker role last season.

During training camp, Simmons has been working at safety full-time.

"Everybody loved Isaiah Simmons, but he certainly hasn't turned out to be what he projected him to be," Brooks said. "And some of that is, when you enter the league without a true position, you always play in the league without a position. So, he's never really become dominant at one thing."

Key stats

The Cardinals averaged a league-worst 5.46 yards per passing play in 2022.

Arizona finished with just 36 sacks last year and lost their two top sack artists in J.J. Watt (12.5 sacks in 2022, retired) and Allen (5.5, free agency).

The Cardinals (+340) are the betting favorite to claim the top pick with the projected worst record in the NFL in 2023.

Inside info:

Kyler Murray

"The work ethic and attention to detail has always kind of been his deal. He makes plays just on sheer ability. But it seems like he's stepping it up with this new staff. I think he came in there this offseason and is doing everything he needed to do.

"He's had good years and a lot of good games. He'll miss some, obviously, with the injury. It's a real question mark. But I wouldn't bet against this coaching staff. I think they've got a bunch of young guys, and they probably know how to handle this kid. And I don't think the coach will take any B.S. from him, the head coach there. And they're building a better line around him. I think he'll be OK, but it's up to him. He just needs to pick it up." —NFC scout

Isaiah Simmons

"I thought he was way overdrafted. I thought he was a tweener. I thought he was good going forward, but not good going backward, which is coverage. He can rush off the edge and that sort of thing, but he's never had great change of direction. He's a straight-line, speed-burst kind of guy. But he's got stiff hips, and that's where he struggles in coverage." – NFC scout

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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