Arizona Cardinals: underrated and ready to surprise in 2024?

Depending on who you ask, you will likely see completely different results regarding the Arizona Cardinals’ chances in 2024. For some, the Cardinals are just that team that has posted a mere one winning season since 2016. They are the team that goes through a new head coach every season and a new quarterback every other year.

But, for the others, the Cardinals are now officially underrated. After they picked Marvin Harrison Jr. #3 overall in the 2024 draft, this sentiment has grown quite a bit. The Cardinals will finally have a full healthy, knock-on-wood, season from their franchise quarterback. They also have a completely revamped coaching staff that is gearing up for their 2nd season with the team.

Mike Jones at The Athletic fits inside the second group of people. Jones named the Cardinals as one of three underrated teams heading into this season. To no surprise, Jones focused on the offense that Arizona possesses, an offense that can be deadly if used correctly:

It’s easy to get overlooked when you’re in the same division as the San Francisco 49ers, a perennial contender, and the ever-intriguing Los Angeles Rams. Back-to-back 4-13 seasons don’t help. But the Cardinals have reason for optimism and might take a leap forward this season. Second-year coach Jonathan Gannon and his assistants have enjoyed a healthy Kyler Murray throughout the offseason after Murray was restricted to eight games in 2023 while rehabbing his surgically repaired ACL. Murray worked with his receivers this spring during team-sanctioned sessions and on his own. The addition of Marvin Harrison Jr. should make life easier for Murray, as should support from an improved defense.

The other teams that were named underrated are the Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, and the Atlanta Falcons.

Conversely, he named the Ravens, Colts, Chargers, and 49ers as overrated heading into the 2024 season.