Thursday, September 7, 2023

Arizona Cardinals Week 1 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2023 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Below you will find a Week 1 roundup for the Arizona Cardinals in our consensus 2023 NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 32

On the hot seat: WR Marquise Brown

Brown didn't receive a much-wanted extension before this season, which means he'll be playing for his football future in 2023. The better he plays and the higher the numbers he puts up, the more money he'll be looking at this coming offseason in free agency. -- Josh Weinfuss

NFL.com -- Rank: 32

Even the most optimistic onlooker has to expect a turbulent season and protracted rebuild for Arizona. Those things tend to happen to teams with a first-year head coach -- and those whose starting quarterback is out indefinitely to begin the season. But I'll offer up the caveat that sometimes the preseason bottom dwellers end up being ... not terrible. Two years ago, the Bengals were widely expected to struggle and they ended up winning the AFC North. And about this time last year, the Falcons were commonly ranked among the lowest teams in the league only to finish with a 7-10 record. That's something, right?

CBS Sports -- Rank: 32

This is a tanking year - even if they won't admit it. This team is in a complete rebuild. At least they have a lot of draft capital to do it.

USA Today -- Rank: 32

We know Kyler Murray (knee) won't be their quarterback to start the season. We don't know who their quarterback will be to start the season. Pretty much sums up Arizona's outlook.

The Athletic -- Rank: 32

Best-case scenario: The Cardinals take the bus (or drive, no one's sure which) to the Nos. 1 and 2 picks in next year's draft, allowing them to sell the second pick for a ransom just like they do in the offseason with Kyler Murray. Even better, the investigation into the Steve Keim burner phone fiasco leads to Michael Bidwill's ouster as owner.

Worst-case scenario: Murray returns ahead of schedule to lead the Cardinals to enough wins to keep them out of the top of the draft, while the Texans escape the bottom of the league, too. The Rams, of all teams, land Caleb Williams at the top of the draft, and every single one of you is forced to eat in the Cardinals' cafeteria.

FOX -- Rank: 32

Cardinals fans, start spending your Saturdays watching Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. Yes, Kyler Murray will eventually be back from injury, and he has a massive contract. But if things go as poorly in Phoenix as it looks like they might, the Cardinals will find a way to figure that out. If they tank their way into the No. 1 pick in 2024, odds are they won't pass on a newer, younger QB.

Yahoo! -- Rank: 32

The Cardinals probably should be projected to have the worst offense and worst defense in the NFL. Maybe the offense gets better when Kyler Murray returns but there's no timetable for that. Until Murray is back, it's going to be Clayton Tune or Joshua Dobbs at quarterback. Maybe the Cardinals are tanking, maybe they're not, but if a team was to tank for the No. 1 draft pick, this is what it would look like.

PFT -- Rank: 32

If they could be lower than 32, they would be.

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