Cardinals mailbag: Just how surprising was Kendrick Bourne’s production?

TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals’ upset win over the Los Angeles Chargers had its fair share of surprise standout performances and plenty of the usual suspects getting after it in L.A.

Now, it’s all about turning the page to Week 2 and the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

But before the lights come on in the home opener at State Farm Stadium, it’s time for another Cardinals mailbag!

Missed out on this week’s mailbag? Don’t fret! You can submit your questions weekly through this link.

Cardinals Week 2 mailbag

Joseph from Chandler: Were you surprised Kendrick Bourne was such a big part of the Week 1 offense given his history of 2-3 catches per game?

TD: Interestingly enough, Bourne now has just four games with at least eight receptions in his 10-year career.

But while his eight catches were more than many expected — I was in the 5-6 catch range — it’s not all that surprising given the layers to Bourne’s Cardinals tenure.

For one, he’s got so much familiarity working under head coach Mike LaFleur from their time together in San Francisco. There’s a reason why the Cardinals were aggressive in bringing the wideout over this offseason.

Then you look at what he brings to the offense. He can play all three wide-receiving spots on the field and brings added size to the slot at 6-foot-1.

He also is a trusted voice within the locker room already. It shouldn’t be lost on the impact he’s having on guys within the wide receivers room and elsewhere on the offense. He’s not a captain, but is clearly a leader the team relies on.

Will Bourne have eight targets every game? I don’t see that happening. It’s a pick-your-poison offense and others like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson are bound to see more targets moving forward.

Bourne will, however, be a constant figure within the offense week in and week out.

Ryan from Benicia: Are we set for another QB controversy this offseason or do you think the Cardinals will move on from Jacoby Brissett even if he has a respectable year?

TD: This is a fun one. I think a lot depends on if Brissett remains the starter throughout the year.

If he puts up respectable numbers across a full season and has the Cardinals winning more games and even sniffing the postseason, I think the two sides could go back to the negotiating table and iron something out. He is, after all, a free agent. Same with Gardner Minshew II.

Maybe the contract talks wouldn’t linger as long as they did this offseason, either!

Having a veteran around like Brissett to continue mentoring Carson Beck or a rookie quarterback to be named later wouldn’t hurt by any means.

I don’t think it would be more than a two-year deal, though.

Because regardless of how good Brissett is, the Cardinals remain in a weird spot at signal caller.

They need to get some game tape on rookie Carson Beck that isn’t Hall of Fame game film. Can he actually be the long-term option for the franchise?

It’s way too early to tell given the lack of game reps.

Brissett also has command of the offense and locker room. Making a move off of the captain for the sake of Beck’s potential would send the wrong message.

It’s going to be a long summer in Phoenix: Would you agree that Mack Wilson Sr. absolutely “McConked” Chargers WR Ladd McConkey?

TD: First off, great name. Second off, solid word play.

Wilson absolutely dropped the hammer on the Chargers wide receiver and did so without drawing a penalty. Stellar technique from Wilson to make a play while also not shooting the defense in the foot with a flag.

That hit also drastically impacted the Chargers offense the rest of the way.

Before exiting with the rib injury in the final seconds of the third quarter, McConkey was taking it to Arizona’s secondary with five catches (seven targets) for 82 yards and a touchdown.

The Chargers failed to find the end zone or any sort of offensive traction after that. Three turnovers on downs, highlighted by the Simi Fehoko blocked punt, and an interception by Andrew Wingard summed up the rest of L.A.’s afternoon.

The hit aside, Wilson is a part of the lifeblood of Arizona’s defense. His presence was greatly missed last year and played a huge role in the unit’s absolute drop off.

Back in the saddle, it is clear things move differently with the starting MIKE linebacker quarterbacking the defense.

Thomas from Oshkosh: Why can’t the coach rotate QB1 and QB2 just like they do at running back and wide receiver?

TD: Continuity at the quarterback position is key for any well-run offense.

Unless Brissett is injured or not playing up to LaFleur’s standards, he’s staying in the game.

That being said, it’ll be interesting to see how the team navigates things if that happens.

Minshew and Beck have been splitting backup practice reps in an effort to keep the rookie sharp.

Minshew is listed as QB2, but if the opportunity arises and the Cardinals are out of the playoff picture, my money is Beck being the next man up.

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