Monday, May 25, 2020

Arizona Cardinals Post-Draft Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2020 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the Arizona Cardinals rank in terms of average, best and worst:
  • Average ranking: 18.2 (18th)
  • Best ranking: 12th (CBS Sports)
  • Worst ranking: 24th (NFL.com)
Below you will find a post-NFL Draft roundup for the Cardinals in our consensus 2020 NFL Power Rankings.

The Athletic -- Rank: 18

If you would have told the Cardinals in January they would come out of this offseason with DeAndre Hopkins, Isaiah Simmons and a viral picture of Kliff Kingsbury's living room, I think they would have been pretty excited about it. Here we are in mid-May and we're not sure if anyone had a better offseason than Arizona.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 12

This is a team that had an outstanding offseason, landing receiver DeAndre Hopkins and fixing the defense. They will be much improved.

USA Today -- Rank: 18

Defense-heavy draft after Arizona finished 2019 last on that side of the ball. This team could be sneaky good after Kliff Kingsbury finished first in work-from-home power rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 19

Player who benefited: OLB Chandler Jones. The Cardinals set out to upgrade their defense and overhauled most of their front seven. No one will benefit more than Jones, who had 19 sacks last season with a fraction of the talent he'll have around him in 2020. Arizona added LB Isaiah Simmons in the first round and signed DT Jordan Phillips, LB De'Vondre Campbell and LB Devon Kennard. DT Corey Peters and LB Jordan Hicks return. Jones will be surrounded by players who can get to the quarterback, which will force offensive lines to decide who to double-team and who to leave one-on-one. -- Josh Weinfuss

NFL -- Rank: 24

The Cardinals' offseason was made back in March, when GM Steve Keim fleeced Bill O'Brien in the already-legendary DeAndre Hopkins trade. Hopkins was a major addition to the roster, and many are expecting Kyler Murray to take a Lamarian Year 2 leap because of the All-Pro wideout's arrival. Not so fast. A No. 1 wide receiver wasn't the only obvious need for Arizona, and passing on a premium tackle prospect in favor of uber-talented linebacker Isaiah Simmons with the eighth overall pick could come back to bite Arizona, especially if third-round OT Josh Jones doesn't pan out. Murray was sacked 48 times last year, tied with Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson for the most in football. Of course, Simmons could turn into Darius Leonard crossed with Lawrence Taylor, and this blurb will be rendered as meaningless as all that Tyrod Taylor copy.

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