Cardinals breakout candidates: Byron Murphy should have stable DB role

Heading into the Arizona Cardinals’ expected start of training camp on July 28, let’s take a peek at the team’s potential breakout candidates — the guys who could come out of nowhere to give the team something surprising as we project their 2020 season.

The list, which we’re rolling out in no particular order, will include players yet to solidify themselves as NFL starters. While that is mostly made up of second-year pros, there are older vets included. We won’t touch on rookies because, well, they’ve yet to set expectations for themselves as pros.

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Only one NFL player got picked on more than Arizona Cardinals rookie defensive back Byron Murphy last season. It just might’ve had to do with him being a rookie, thrown into the fray after Patrick Peterson (suspension) and Robert Alford (injury) were ruled out for Week 1.

The downside is Murphy took his lumps.

Teams completed 70% of those 112 total targets on the season for 754 yards. Murphy’s 78 completions allowed were the most in the NFL. Pro Football Reference counted nine touchdowns against Murphy, also tops. But look at the list of the most-targeted players in the league thoroughly, and there are analytical bright spots, too.

He gave up less than 10 yards per completion and 6.7 yards per target, both of which look good compared to the other most-picked-on players. An eye test wouldn’t indicate Murphy wasn’t lost beyond comprehension — being an overwhelmed rookie happens.

Whatever you want to say about Murphy, there’s no doubt few rookie defensive backs gained close to that volume of experience.

Remember, Arizona drafted him to lead off the second round of the 2019 draft, and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph wasn’t shy about stacking his metaphorical desk with positions to learn. The Cardinals early in the offseason had Murphy studying cornerback, nickel and even safety.  Upon Peterson’s suspension, Murphy shifted his duties more toward cornerback even though head coach Kliff Kingsbury said in December that Murphy’s true position was in the slot.

Veteran Tramaine Brock Sr. was often used in the slot to start 2019, and Kevin Peterson also appeared there in spots. According to PlayerProfiler.com, Murphy only lined up in the slot 19.6% of the time.

“To me, it’s been tough, him having to play corner and play half the season going against their best wideouts,” Kingsbury said in December. “That’s a tall task for him. We drafted him to be that nickel-type body.”

Barring injuries or unforeseen circumstances, Murphy will get that shot in 2020.

Peterson is motivated in a contract year and raring to go after struggling last season once he returned from a six-game PED suspension. Alford is healthy after missing all of 2019 with a leg injury.

Murphy’s physicality indeed must be proven against elite tight ends, who scored at a rate of nearly a touchdown per game on Arizona. The additions of coverage-capable linebackers De’Vondre Campbell and rookie Isaiah Simmons could push Murphy out of some snaps, but even with the trends of the NFL, the nickel role remains ultra-valuable matching up against true slot receivers.

Arizona general manager Steve Keim said during the draft — a comment revealed on an episode of Cardinals Flight Plan — that Murphy was a top-five player on the team’s big board.

With ups and downs — also called experience — as a rookie and now with a stable role set up for his second year as a pro, Murphy will have a chance to prove it.

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