Anonymous NFL execs question how good Cardinals offense can be
Aug 28, 2018, 6:30 AM
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Anonymous executives from around the NFL shared what they thought were the most glaring weaknesses of all 32 NFL teams across the league with ESPN’s Mike Sando.
For the Arizona Cardinals, the offense provides the most worrisome flaws.
Continued offensive-line troubles and two quarterbacks with durability/performance concerns could be a rough combination.
The Cardinals have only two returning starters on the offensive line after center A.Q. Shipley tore his ACL and was declared out for the season. Of the two returning starters, guard Mike Iupati started just one game in 2017 while tackle D.J. Humphries only made five starts.
Newcomers Andre Smith, Justin Pugh and rookie Mason Cole are the new faces at the top the Cardinals depth chart on the offensive line.
Quarterback Sam Bradford only started two games in 2017, which is cause for concern. Should Bradford succumb to injury, either rookie Josh Rosen or veteran Mike Glennon would take his place.
Their offensive line is in real trouble, and even separate from that, I think it’s questionable whether they can get good quarterback play from [Sam] Bradford or [Josh] Rosen. I personally do not think they can, and if the line is as bad as I think it’s going to be, the odds are stacked even longer against it.
Both Bradford and Rosen have seen limited reps so far this preseason.
Bradford has made only 11 pass attempts in three games, but has completed eight of them.
Rosen was 16-for-29 with one touchdown and no interceptions in two games, but missed game three against Dallas with an injury to his thumb that was sustained during a practice.