San Francisco 49ers 2020 Opponent Breakdown: Arizona Cardinals
Despite being in the middle of an on-going Covid-19 pandemic, last month the NFL released the 2020 schedule.
The 49ers now know when they'll play each opponent. With that said, they're set to travel the fifth-most miles in the NFL with 25,512 miles throughout their eight road games.
In preparation for the upcoming season, we at All49ers SI will be dissecting each of the 49ers' opponents in 2020 over the next several weeks.
Here is the first edition of their opponent breakdown as they face off against an NFC division rival, the Arizona Cardinals, during Week 1:
Arizona Cardinals
2019 Record: 5-10-1, Last in NFC West
2019 Meetings with 49ers: 28-25 loss (week 9), 36-26 loss (week 11)
Their first showdown in Week 9 gave San Francisco their first look at former No.1 overall pick, Kyler Murray. The 49ers were able to hold on long enough to come away victorious, but Murray did cause havoc, delivering 241 yards and two touchdowns against the NFL's No. 1 passing defense.
The second go-around occurred two weeks later, and it appeared the Cardinals had the 49ers offense all fired up after sneaking away with a hard-fought victory in the previous matchup. Jimmy Garoppolo finished the Week 11 contest with 424 yards and four touchdowns, leading the 49ers to a victory by two scores.
Season in Review: The Cardinals posted a two-game improvement in 2019 after recording a 3-13 record in 2018. Last season still was a rebuilding year for Arizona, with youth being heavily involved at some of its most important positions. Now that Kyler Murray and first-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury have a season under their belts together, the two of them, plus a handful of additions to this year's squad, should help them elevate the team dramatically.
Key Additions: WR DeAndre Hopkins, LB De'Vondre Campbell, LB Devon Kennard, DL Jordan Phillips
The Cardinals added roughly three starters via trade acquisitions and free-agent signings. Arguably one of the best moves of the offseason was when Cardinals general manager Steve Keim traded for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans. Hopkins has recorded 1,000 or more yards in five of his past six seasons. Cementing him into the equation with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and running back Kenyan Drake solidifies a well-rounded offense for Arizona's young quarterback and head coach tandem. Additionally, De'Vondre Campbell and Jordan Phillips are projected to pencil in as starters in linebacker core and defensive line, respectively.
Key Departures: RB David Johnson, WR Pharoh Cooper, DL Rodney Gunter, LB Joe Walker, TE Charles Clay, OL A.Q. Shipley
The Cardinals saw very few key departures this offseason. David Johnson is the most familiar face, and they traded him to Houston. But the fact of the matter is they may have actually improved at the running back position.
Players like Rodney Gunter, Joe Walker and Charles Clay all contributed as part-time starters last season, but they're not devastating losses.
Notable 2020 Draft Picks: LB/S Isaiah Simmons, OT Josh Jones
The Cardinals entered the 2020 NFL Draft with the No. 8 pick and landed Isaiah Simmons as he fell into their laps near the top of Round 1. Simmons had been mocked as high as No. 3, so seeing him still on the board when it was their time to make a selection was extremely surprising.
Simmons is a linebacker/safety hybrid player who can lineup all over the field. At Clemson, they used him in numerous ways — all of which included him rushing the passer, covering receivers 1-on-1 and patrolling the second level of the defense. Simmons is likely to have an impact right away in Year 1 as he learns from the team's veteran players such as cornerback Patrick Peterson and outside linebacker Chandler Jones.
The Cardinals didn't hold possession of a second-round pick, but did draft a player who many thought would hear his name called in Round 2 — offensive tackle Josh Jones. The Cardinals could use some assistance along their offensive line after allowing Murray to hit the turf 48 times in 2019. And Jones certainly will bring stability to the position after putting a dominant college career behind him. Jones is suited to enter a training camp battle with Marcus Gilbert for the starting right tackle spot for the upcoming season.
Prognosis: Teams with first-year quarterbacks generally don't stack a surplus of wins right away. However, Year 2 as a full-time starter is typically when quarterbacks show what kind of player they truly are. The last two MVP winners -- Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson -- both generated enormous success in Year 2 under center.
With Murray, the best is yet to come after gathering a year of experience. With the Los Angeles Rams taking a step backward based on their offseason departures, the Cardinals are presumably ready to leap them in the standings, but still will have to prove they can dethrone the 49ers and Seahawks at the top of the NFC West before being considered a true playoff team.
