NFC West Offense PFF Grades By Position

Can the Cardinals’ offense, position by position, climb the ladder in their own division in 2024?

Before the season began, I provided the 2022 PFF grades for the projected starters in the NFL West.

Here are the 2023 PFF NFC West grades by position:

QB:

1. Matthew Stafford LAR — 88.2

2. Brock Purdy SF — 87.4

3. Geno Smith SEA — 82.9

4, Kyler Murray ARI — 70.8

RB:

1. Christian McCaffrey SF — 90.3

2. James Conner ARI —89.2

3. Kenneth Walker SEA — 83.5

4. Kyren Williams LAR — 80.4

WR 1:

1. Deebo Samuel SF —- 85.4
2. D.K. Metcalf SEA —- 80.0
3. Cooper Kupp LAR —- 71.5
4. Marquise Brown ARI —- 67.1

WR 2:

1. Brandon Aiuk SF —- 91.5
2. Puka Nacua LAR —- 90.2
3. Tyler Lockett SEA —- 78.1
4. Michael Wilson ARI —- 68.3

TE:

1. George Kittle SF — 87.7

2. Trey McBride ARI — 76.3

3. Noah Fant SEA — 62.8

4. Tyler Higbe LAR —57.6

LT:

1. Trent Williams SF —- 92.5
2. Charles Cross SEA —- 67.6
3. Alaric Jackson LAR—- 66.6
4. D.J. Humphries ARI —- 62.5

LG:

1. Steve Avila LAR —- 60.5
2. Damien Lewis SEA —- 59.6
3. Aaron Banks SF —- 52.8
4. Elijah Wilkinson ARI —- 46.2

C:

1. Jake Brendel SF —- 66.3
2. Coleman Shelton LAR —- 66.1
3. Hjalte Froholdt ARI —- 64.1
4. Evan Brown SEA —- 55.5

RG:

1. Kevin Dotson LAR —- 84.4
2. Jon Feliciano SF —- 79.8
3. Will Hernandez ARI —- 66.2
4. Phil Haynes SEA —- 52.0

RT:

1. Rob Havenstein LAR —- 79.8
2. Colon McKivitz SF —- 65.2
3. Paris Johnson Jr. ARI —- 60.1
4. Steve Forsythe SEA —- 58.2

Team Offense Total Points

• 4 points for #1 —-3 points for #2 —- 2 points for #3 —-1 point for #4

1. SF —- 36
2. LAR —- 28
3. SEA —- 18
4. ARI —- 17

Offensive DVOA Rankins:

1. SF —- #1
2. LAR —- #7
3. SEA —- #12
4. ARI —- #21

Total Yards Rankings:

1. SF —- #2
2. LAR —- #7
3. ARI —- #19
4. SEA —- #21

Points Per Game Rankings:

1. SF —- #3
2. LAR —- #8
3. SEA —- #17
4. ARI —- #24

Rushing Yards Rankins:

1. SF —- #3
2. ARI —- #4
3. LAR —- #11
4. SEA —- #28

Passing Yards Rankings:

1. SF —- #4
2. LAR —- #10
3. SEA —- #14
4. ARI —- #26

2024 UFAs:

ARI:

• WR Marquise Brown
• LT D.J. Humphries (likely released)
• LG Elijah Wilkinson

LAR:

• C Brian Allen
• C Shelton Coleman
• RG: Kevin Dotson

SF:

• RG Jon Feliciano

SEA:

• LG Damien Lewis
• C Evan Brown
• RG Phil Haynes
• TE Noah Fant

Off-Season Offensive Priorities for the Arizona Cardinals:

1. Starter at LT
2. Starter at LG
3. Starter at WR
4. Depth needed at WR, TE, QB, RB, OL

Personal Goals for Returning Starters:

Heading into 2024 season:

• 0 Cardinals are #1 at their position in the NFC West
• 2 Cardinals were #2 at their position (RB Conner, TE McBride)
• 3 Cardinals were #3 at their position (Froholdt, Hernandez and Johnson Jr.)
• 2 Cardinals were #4 at their positions (Murray and Wilson)

Will these returning starters climb up the rankings?

Monti said at the Combine “we expect to see a big jump in year 2 from the returning players.”

KO’s Projected Lineup on Offense:

My Reaction:

Yes:

• Marvin Harrison Jr. (Hard to argue with his tremendous talent and pedigree, even though I believe Brock Bowers is the perfect system and culture fit for the 2024 Cardinals).

No:

• Marquise Brown —- Cards should devote the $10-12M on defensive starters and sign UFA WR Jalen Guyton (LAC), who was Kyler’s go-to WR at Allen H.S. for $2M a year plus incentives. As I said on Red Rain —- there would be added pressure on Kyler to throw often to Hollywood so Hollywood could re-establish his WR market. If the team drafts MHJ, there will be extra pressure on Kyler to get him the ball, early and often. Plus, why slow the development of Michael Wilson?
• Ezra Cleveland —- coming off rough season in JAC, my choice here is UFA LG Jonah Jackson (DET) whom Dave Sears scouted and help to draft 4 years ago. Jackson has an instant Ohio St. connection to PJJ.
• Amarius Mims —- Mims is a huge talent but he only started 8 games at GA due to injuries and having to wait his turn. Monti has a history of drafting talented players with injury issues and/or histories. I would prefer LT Troy Fautanu, the athletic dynamo from Washington who would allow the Cardinals to keep PJJ at RT to further the stability and chemistry he has with RG Will Hernandez.

Your Reaction?

What offensive lineup are you hoping for?