Cardinals’ Youth Movement

By Walter Mitchell Oct 26, 2022, 6:10am MDT

Background: October 20, 2022; Glendale, Ariz; USA; Cardinals Isaiah Simmons (9) returns an interception for a touchdown against the Saints during a game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Breen-Arizona Republic Nfl Cardinals Saints Photos New Orleans Saints At Arizona Cardinals. Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK.

We Cardinals’ fans have been hoping to see the the organizing take stronger advantage of its young talent —- and this season, perhaps more than any other —- we are seeing a bona fide youth movement in Arizona, as celebrated by this achievement by 2nd year CB Marco Wilson:

Hooray for the youth movement as manifested by CB Marco Wilson in Week 7! https://t.co/Nt5R8cAKTQ
— Walter B J Mitchell (@WBJMItch) October 26, 2022

Have yourself a gander at the number of young players who will be heading into their 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th years in the NFL in 2023. (* denotes —- 2023 UFA)

QB: Kyler Murray, Trace McSorely*
RB Eno Benjamin, Keaontay Ingram, Jonathan Ward, Ty’Son Williams
WR Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch, Antoine Wesley, Andre Baccellia
TE Trey McBride, Bernhard Seikovitz
T Josh Jones, Joshua Miles*, Badara Traore
G Cody Ford*, Will Hernandez*, Marquis Hayes, Koda Martin
C Lecitus Smith
NT Rashard Lawrence, Leki Fotu, Andrew Brown
DI Zach Allen*, Cameron Thomas, Michael Dogbe*, Jonathan Ledbetter, Manny Jones
ILB Zaven Collins, Isaiah Simmons, Blake Lynch
Edge Myjai Sanders, Victor Dimukeje, Jesse Luketa
CB Byron Murphy*, Marco Wilson, Trayvon Mullen*, Christian Matthew, Jace Whittaker
S Jalen Thompson, Tae Daly
K Rodrigo Blankenship

Notable Players Entering 6th season in 2023:

RB Darrel Williams*
C Billy Price*
LB Zeke Turner*
Edge Dennis Gardeck

Veteran Players Under Contract in 2023:

QB Colt McCoy —- 14th season
RB James Conner —- 7th season
WR DeAndre Hopkins —- 11th season
WR Robbie Anderson —- 8th season
TE Zach Ertz —- 11th season
T D.J. Humphries —- 9th season
C Rodney Hudson —- 13th season (spotrac.com has him listed as a 2023 UFA, perhaps when he returned this season, he and the Cardinals agreed to void the final year of his contract).
Edge Markus Golden —- 9th season
S Budda Baker —- 7th season

UFAs in 2023:

QB Trace McSorley
RB Darrel Williams
WR A.J. Green
TE Maxx Williams
TE Stephen Anderson
T Kelvin Beachum
T Joshua Miles
G Justin Pugh
G Will Hernandez
G Cody Ford
G Max Garcia
C Billy Price
C Sean Harlow
T Kelvin Beachum
DE JJ Watt
DE Zach Allen
DE Michael Dogbe
LB Tanner Vallejo
ILB Ben Niemann
ILB Nick Vigil
CB Byron Murphy
CB Antonio Hamilton
CB Trayvon Mullen
S Charles Washington
S Chris Banjo
LS Aaron Brewer
K Matt Prater
P Andy Lee

RFA’s in 2023:

RB Jonathan Ward
WR Greg Dortch

ERFA’s in 2023:

WR Antoine Wesley
Edge Jesse Luketa

Questions of the Day:

On a scale of 1-10, how impressed are you with the Cardinals’ current youth movement? Why?
Of the young players who are under contract in 2023, which ones do you project as starters?
If you could only pick 5 UFAs whom you most want the Cardinals to re-sign, who are your five?