Cardinals fall in new power rankings with additions in free agency
If you ask most, the Arizona Cardinals have improved their team in free agency. They have added quality veterans. Their goal was to get more physical and add veteran leadership and accountability. They have done that, although there are questions about how much better they will be comparatively in the NFC West.
In new power rankings from USA TODAY, the Cardinals actually fell after free agency.
They went from 13th to 17th.
They added Hall of Fame talent with 2011 first-rounders J.J. Watt and A.J. Green … but it remains to be seen if Arizona spent its money in the right spots after fumbling away a playoff spot last year and crash landing to .500.
If this was 2015, then the additions of Watt, Green, Matt Prater and Rodney Hudson would be huge.
However, the offensive line is better and the receivers are better, which should improve the passing offense. The pass rush should improve and the return to health of their defensive line should make them better up front, while cornerback Malcolm Butler is an upgrade over Patrick Peterson at this point.
The Cardinals are better. They were one missed field goal from the playoffs.
Yes, several NFC teams got better and the NFC West is no joke, but Arizona is still on track to do what it needs to do.
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