The Arizona Cardinals believe they will have a great offense in 2024. They expect to build off what they did in the last half of the season after Kyler Murray returned to the lineup. They were a top-10 offense in efficiency in the eight games he played and they were a top offense in the league over the final few games.
And since the defense has plenty of question marks, the offense must be the strength.
As such, if the Cardinals are going to have the success they hope to achieve, they will need to hit certain offensive benchmarks. Below are the numbers they will need individual players to hit.
Kyler Murray: 4,000 passing yards
Murray has not yet reached the 4,000-yard mark in a season. But if Murray plays in the passing game like he did over the final three games of the season, he would have a little more than 4,100 passing yards. It means he stays healthy and that he is consistently productive as a passer.
Kyler Murray: 35+ combined passing/rushing TDs
He did this in 2020 with 26 touchdown passes and 11 rushing touchdowns. If he can reach 30 passing touchdowns to go with at least 4,000 passing yards, that will go a long way to silence the critics about his ability in the passing game. But ultimately it is about production and touchdowns matter. If he can combine to pass and rush for 35 or more touchdowns, the Arizona offense will be great.
James Conner and Trey Benson: Combined 1,400 rushing yards
Conner wants his 1,000-yard season to be the benchmark for him moving forward. Whether he is healthy for an entire season and rushes for 1,200 yards or whether he goes for 1,000 and Benson, a rookie, goes for 400, getting 1,400 rushing yards from their top two backs, without any consideration for Murray’s rushing production, will give them a top rushing offense again.
Marvin Harrison: 1,000 receiving yards
It would feel like a disappointment if he didn’t reach this. And having a No. 1 guy to reach that milestone is important for the offense.
Trey McBride: 80+ receptions, 900+ yards
McBride’s per-game production last season over the final 10 when he finally became an integrated part of the offense would have led to a 100-catch, 1,100-yard season. But with a productive No. 1 receiver in Harrison, it might be difficult to repeat. So if McBride can at least match what he did last season, the Cardinals will be in great shape.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
