Arizona Cardinals: Three Questions Heading into Training Camp

The Arizona Cardinals are a team loaded with talent. So much so that they just recently played for the NFC Championship. However, there seemed to be a hangover from that loss in 2016. That, accompanied with some injuries cost the Cards a chance at repeating. How do they overcome this? They have some questions to answer. We tackle three of those questions.

These questions will go in order from least to most important.

  1. Will age play a factor?

The Arizona Cardinals are one of the older teams in the league. Their quarterback, offensive line, and number one wide receiver are all cresting the top of the hill. With age comes lack of production and injuries. The Cardinals did little work in the draft or free agency to add depth. They will have to hope that the health of their star players can stay tip-top. If it does not, they could be in for another long season.

  1. Can Robert Nkemdiche fill Calais Campbell’s shoes?

The pass rush of the Arizona Cardinals is one of the best in the league. At least it has been. They lost a big part of that pass rush when DE Calais Campbell signed a large free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the 2016 draft, the Cardinals drafted DT Robert Nkemdiche. Will he be able to fill the void that Campbell has left?

  1. Will losing Carson Palmer be an issue?

No, I am not suggesting that he is leaving. Although, he is getting long in the tooth and cresting his NFL hill. He has only played a full 16 games in seven of his 13 years. The Arizona Cardinals did nothing in the draft to rectify the situation either. It was evident in 2014 that their offense dynamically changes when he is not on the field. None of the QBs that are rostered are capable of making the big plays that Carson Palmer can.

The Arizona Cardinals can once again challenge for a place in the NFC playoff picture. However, age and overcoming injuries are going to be huge factors. If they can stay away from those bugs, they will be right in the thick of the 2017 race.

How do you feel about the Arizona Cardinals headed into training camp? You can leave your comments below.

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