Arizona Cardinals 2020 Preview - NFL Odds, Picks, & Betting Predictions

The Arizona Cardinals finished last in the NFC West in 2019 with an overall record of 5-10-1. Although the Cardinals are expected to improve over last season, Arizona has the bad luck of playing in one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL and will find it hard to finish any better than third but most likely will end the season in last place in the NFC West. Arizona added All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to its offense while the defense is expected to improve but will be young and lack experience.

The Cardinals offense will be led by second-year quarterback Kyler Murray who last year threw for 3,722 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and rushed for 544 yards and four touchdowns. David Johnson is no longer with the Cardinals after being traded to the Texans and Kenyan Drake will take over the top spot at running back. Last season, Drake rushed for a team-high 643 yards with eight touchdowns. With the addition of Hopkins, the Cardinals will have an outstanding receiving corps that will include veterans Larry Fitzgerald and the talented Christian Kirk. 

Maxx Williams will be the starting tight end for the Cardinals while Dan Arnold and Darrell Daniels will see action throughout the season. Arizona re-signed offensive tackles Marcus Gilbert and DJ Humphries while Mason Cole is expected to take over at center and JR Sweezy and Justin Pugh will return as starting guards. Max Garcia and Justin Murray are two players that could battle with projected starters on the offensive line and are expected to see plenty of action. 

In 2019, the Arizona defense was one of the worst in all of the NFL. The Cardinals were poor against the run and atrocious when it came to defending the pass. Therefore, the Cardinals signed three starters during free agency and added four rookies during the NFL draft to improve that side of the ball. Arizona signed Jordan Phillips to improve their defensive line and drafted Leki Fotu and Rashard Lawrence to play alongside Zach Allen, Corey Peters and Devon Kennard.

Arizona drafted Clemson Tigers outstanding linebacker Isaiah Simmons adding De'vondre Campbell and Devon Kennard to the linebacker corps. Chandler Jones will play one of the inside linebacker positions and give experience to the unit while Jordan Hicks also returns. In the secondary, the Cardinals did not make any changes and will have both cornerbacks Robert Alford and Patrick Peterson for an entire season as long as neither are injured once again. Budda Baker returns as the starting free safety and Jalen Thompson as the strong safety.

The Arizona Cardinals will be stronger on both sides of the ball, but the Cardinals must play six games against NFC West rivals which will dictate the outcome of their season. Arizona has several young players on both sides of the ball and that inexperience could prove to be detrimental over the course of the 16-game NFL regular season.  Arizona will finish the regular season last in the NFC West at 7-9.