5 key people who must excel at their jobs for Arizona Cardinals to become relevant in 2023

The Arizona Cardinals might surprise everyone and do a lot better than the oddsmakers and NFL prognosticators project. But does that mean they might win six games, seven games, dare we suggest even eight? The stars will have to perfectly align, it would seem, for this team to even get close to finish somewhere near .500.

But for it to happen this season with the Cardinals, it’s going to require a massive team effort and probably a boatload of luck. Arizona’s best players must lead the way. The rest of the roster must contribute. Role players must make the most of their opportunities.

It’s also going to take something else for the Cardinals to be relevant in 2023: Certain people within the organization are going to have to be at the top of their game in the respective duties. We’ve boiled it down to five different faces, each of whom will be heavily counted upon to do their jobs above and beyond expectations.

Monti Ossenfort, general manager

The first-year GM has already done plenty of work when it comes to reshaping the franchise and retooling the roster where he could, but the toughest job yet is about to commence, and he can’t afford to slow down now.

Ossenfort and his staff need to be laser-focused when it comes to churning the back end of the roster and making the right choices regarding the inevitable player additions the Cardinals will be making throughout the season. The scouting reports must be precise and trustworthy and it’s imperative that every new player immediately buys into the new standard and culture that Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon have implemented.

Although it seems doubtful the Cardinals will be major players at the trading deadline, Ossenfort must keep all of his options open, whether it’s for immediate needs or with any toward the future. And considering the stash of draft picks Ossenfort has hauled in for 2024, which includes two potential Top 10 picks in the first round and six within the top 75 overall, the future is right around the corner.

Ossenfort’s scouting department must be super diligent in their research and reports regarding future prospects and potential Cardinals’ draft picks. The rookies Arizona selected this year look like the real thing, but next year’s draft class will dictate where this franchise is really headed. Ossenfort must keep close tabs on what his scouts are seeing and take time when evaluating every player when meeting with his staff.

He'll also have to address the contract of wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Can the two sides reach agreement on a new deal before season’s end? If they do, it would be one less thing on Ossenfort’s plate, which is already piled high.

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Drew Petzing, offensive coordinator

As instrumental as Gannon figures to be regarding the 2023 season, the person with the most pressure on his shoulders among the coaching staff is probably Petzing. He’s coached wide receivers, tight ends and quarterbacks during his 10 years in the NFL, but he’s never been an offensive coordinator.

The same can be said for Nick Rallis, Arizona’s defensive coordinator, but Petzing has to find a way to keep the offense afloat without a franchise quarterback until Kyler Murray is ready to play as he works his way back from ACL surgery. That could be multiple weeks from now, which Petzing must find a way to get newly acquired Joshua Dobbs and rookie Clayton Tune ready and efficient after the team released veteran QB Colt McCoy. .

The good news is that the Cardinals’ offensive line is stout and perhaps the biggest strength of the entire team. There’s enough talent and depth there to keep McCoy upright and out of danger, but Petzing must find a way keep the offense viable and unpredictable despite some limitations at the skill positions. On that note, it will be interesting to see how quickly Petzing can get new quarterback Joshua Dobbs, whom he coached in Cleveland, back up to speed in Arizona’s offense – just in case.

They have speed at receiver, but can Brown, Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch and rookie Michael Wilson find ways to get open downfield and can McCoy get them the football? If he can’t, will it be Josh Dobbs or rookie Clayton Tune?

It's no secret Arizona wants to establish a power running game, but there are questions behind James Conner and even with Conner himself. As solid as he’s been since signing with the Cardinals, he’s also missed his share of game due to various injuries and the team needs an insurance policy just in case.

The return of veteran tight end Zach Ertz will help Petzing and the offense tremendously. He’s now fully recovered from his torn ACL and he’s a proven, pass-catching weapon that will help keep the chains moving.

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Paris Johnson Jr., right tackle

There’s a lot to like about the Cardinals’ offensive line and the way with which the first-round rookie draft pick has quickly and almost seamlessly fit in as the new starting right tackle is a big part of that.

Johnson, selected sixth overall out of Ohio State, keeps opening eyes and turning heads. Whether it’s his noticeably clean techniques or his sheer size and strength, he was one of the shining stars of training camp and the preseason. He also has a lot of “mauler” in him when he engages with an edge rusher, locks onto him legally, and keeps driving the defender backwards. He’s relentless and his style has become contagious.

“The guy is the real deal,” right guard Will Hernandez said. “We all loved him right from the get-go.”

The 6-foot-6, 313-pound Johnson is sure to have his rookie moments where he will get flagged for false starts or get beat or confused by a two-man rush, but the future looks bright with him as an anchor up front. The fact that he pushed veteran Kelvin Beachum out of the starting lineup cannot be ignored. Beachum, after all, was the only Arizona lineman to have started all 17 games a year ago and he was brought back on a two-year extension before Johnson was drafted.

The more Johnson plays, the better he will get and the more he will learn about the nuances of life within the NFL trenches. It can get pretty hectic in there, but if Johnson handles his business and doesn’t get overwhelmed, he can help the Cardinals as much as anyone this season.

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Drew Krueger, head athletic trainer

Don’t underestimate the influence a person such as this has on an NFL team and its success or failure. One of the many changes made this offseason included the Cardinals hiring Krueger to run the training room and help keep the players healthy, fit and at the top of their games.

Krueger, 36, comes to Arizona after spending the past nine years at Texas Tech. He interned as an athletic trainer for the Patriots in 2013, when Ossenfort was assistant director of college scouting. The Cardinals overhauled the strength and conditioning team as well, but Krueger will be crucial when it comes to player injuries and going about the right way to get them healed as fast but as safely as possible.

It's no secret that the Cardinals have been besieged by injuries the past few seasons and it’s true that some players seemed to stay sidelined longer than what the previous coaching regime had been told or were expecting. That resulted in a bit of a malaise when it came to morale as certain players battled through the pain of an NFL season while watching some of their teammates appear to slow-play their rehab.

Time will tell how much of an impact Krueger and the training staff can make, but they’ll be under the gun just as much as these other four people.

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Marco Wilson, cornerback

Whether he’s ready or not, Wilson gets the chance to open the season as the Cardinals’ No. 1 cornerback, which means he can expect to draw the primary coverage assignment against every opponent’s best wide receiver.

It remains to be seen if Rallis will move him around to shadow a particular pass catcher, which is usually what happens with many of the top corners in the NFL. Most often, Wilson has been manning down the right side of the field, handling press-man and off-ball coverage of the receiver who lines up outside to the left.

This is only his third season, but the former fourth-round pick from Florida has gotten plenty of experience thus far having started 26 of the 28 games he’s played. He’ll need to be at his best for the secondary not to get torched on a regular basis. Teams will be testing Arizona’s cornerbacks all year and Wilson needs to batten down his side of the field as best as possible to help ease any and all carnage.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals' 5 key people who must excel in their roles in 2023