2023 Cardinals Awards: Rookie of the Year, MVP + More
It wasn't always pretty, but the Arizona Cardinals fought hard through a 2023 season that offered little respite from the harsh reality of a brand new roster.
Despite the forgettable 4-13 record, here are the individual players who made an impact on this Cardinals team this year:
Defensive Rookie of the Year: OLB BJ Ojulari
USA Today
The young EDGE rusher didn't exactly burst onto the scene. Even with a Cardinals team that started the most rookies in the NFL (14) in 2023, Ojulari didn't start a single game, and was relegated to mostly special teams duties to start the season.
However, as the season progressed he showed flashes of becoming a proficient edge rusher. He picked up four sacks in his final nine games, and registered 34 total tackles, including five tackles for loss and six total QB hits. He graded out 23 with a 64.8 overall PFF grade.
It wasn't a year full of rookie proficiency on the defensive side, but the former second-round pick did showcase a small portion of the pass-rusher the Cardinals need him to be.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: OL Paris Johnson Jr.
Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic
The young tackle did struggle for stretches of 2023, but for the most part, he looked every bit the part of a franchise OL. He allowed zero pressures in his debut, and although he was bullied by teams like the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns, generally held up at his right tackle spot.
He allowed zero pressures three times in 2023 and committed only eight penalties in 17 games.
It certainly wasn't a perfect year, but Johnson logged a 64.2 PFF pass blocking grade, while playing 100% of Arizona's offensive snaps. With the unfortunate injury to LT D.J. Humphries, Johnson could benefit from switching back to his natural LT position in 2024.
Defensive Player of the Year: S Jalen Thompson
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The young safety has been an excellent member of this Cardinals secondary. Paired with veteran Budda Baker, Thompson stepped up in a big way in 2023, intercepting a career- and team-high four passes.
According to PFF, Thompson allowed a career-low 72.4 passer rating and 66% completion rate when targeted, and was Arizona's highest-graded defensive back, logging a 71.3 defensive grade, but an impressive 77.0 in coverage.
Thompson played 95% of snaps, and logged 76 tackles in 2023. The 25-year old safety was the brightest spot in an exceptionally dull Arizona secondary, but looks to be improving with each coming year. Alongside Pro Bowler Budda Baker, the Cards' safety tandem is set.
Offensive Player of the Year: TE Trey McBride
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) looks on prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium.
Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Considering how few snaps McBride played in his first year, it felt like the former second-round pick was trending towards becoming another Steve Keim bust.
Yet once given the opportunity, McBride exploded onto the offensive scene and became a critical weapon in an extremely undersized pass-catching group.
The 6'3", 246-pound tight end hauled in 81 passes for 825 yards and three touchdowns, despite sitting behind veteran Zach Ertz for the first five weeks of the season. He averaged over 10 yards per reception.
In Kyler Murray's return victory against the Atlanta Falcons, McBride became the first Cardinals tight end since Rob Awalt in 1989 to record a 100-yard receiving day, finishing with an impressive eight catches for 131 yards.
McBride's 825 yards are the second-most in a season by a Cardinal, and the most since they moved to Arizona. He sits only behind Jackie Smith's 1,205 yards in 1967, and McBride put up that number in only 12 games as the primary tight end.
McBride was the Cardinals' second-highest graded offensive player with a 76.3 overall grade, and an 80.5 receiving grade.
The big-bodied target is set to become one of the top TE's in the NFL, and has already shown in his breakout season what a reliable weapon he can be for Kyler Murray.
Comeback Player of the Year: QB Kyler Murray
Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Hope you weren't waiting in too much suspense for this pick. Coming off the brutal ACL tear, Murray certainly felt his fair share of growing pains with the new staff and squad. There were weeks where he absolutely failed to impress.
However, Murray was able to go the eight game stretch, completing 66% of his passes, picking up 2,043 yards of offense and 13 total touchdowns and committing five turnovers. That's a pace for 4,341 yards, 26 touchdowns and just over 10 turnovers.
Those numbers aren't exceptionally stellar, but Murray's final three-game stretch was a different story. In games against Chicago, Philadelphia and Seattle, he completed 72.4% of his passes, picked up 813 yards of offense and had six touchdowns to one interception, with a 108 average passer rating. That projects out to 4,607 yards, 34 total touchdowns and just over five interceptions.
Murray was two missed kicks by Matt Prater away from going 4-4 in his eight games. Despite the ultimate loss in the season finale, Murray led a game-winning drive in two of his three wins, and did enough to warrant a third had Prater's kick gone through.
Murray could very well be getting next year's AllCardinals CBPOY award as well, as he will hope to be even more productive than his average projections, being fully healthy and receiving hopefully a bolstered offense. Murray graded out 2023 with a respectable 71.0, and was the true spark that got this team's offense cooking again. Expect better days to come from the young QB in 2024.
Coach of the Year: The Entire Staff
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon looks on from the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jonathan Gannon, Drew Petzing and Nick Rallis weren't perfect by any means in 2023. They each had their fair share of questionable decisions and games where they looked in over their heads.
However, each of these young coaches were resilient enough to get back up, make adjustments to their plans and show that they deserved the respect of their players. You absolutely cannot look at a 4-13 record and not place a large portion of the blame on these three men.
But, like much of the roster, they each showed their potential as they developed.
Petzing's adjustment in the latter half of the season to an under-center, run-committed offense did wonders for Murray, McBride, James Conner and the entire offense as a whole.
Rallis did more with less consistently, and although his defense gave up their fair share of yards and points, he ended the season on a high note with very little talent to show.
Gannon needs to learn when to kick the extra point and when to punt the football, but his leadership showed through at the end, and it's clear he's building stronger relationships with these players than we're used to seeing. Murray's social media feed alone is evidence that this team is bought in to what Gannon is selling, and that's the foundation of a well-coached team.
Most Valuable Player: RB James Conner
Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
It couldn't be anyone else this year.
James Conner was, in every sense, the engine of this team. The bulldozer back was dominant in nearly every game he played, and despite missing four games due to injury, still picked up his first career 1,000-yard rushing season.
Conner picked up five yards per attempt, rushing 209 times for 1,039 yards, with seven rushing touchdowns. He also racked up 165 yards through the air and two receiving touchdowns.
Conner's ability to run hard through the heart of the trenches and still pick up reliable yardage on each down was invaluable, picking up two yards after contact per attempt in 2023. He recorded 31 runs of 10 or more yards, and was a workhorse back that never shied away from those in front of him.
Arizona was 0-5 in games where Conner didn't play a full game. A true weapon on the ground, and even in the passing game, Conner was there for Murray to rely on in every game he played, and was a crucial aspect of all four of Arizona's wins. He finished 2023 with the highest grade on the team, with an astonishing 89.2 overall offensive grade.
The Cardinals likely do not even get to four wins without him, and certainly wouldn't have fought as hard in closer losses. Once Petzing gave Conner the keys to each drive, the Cardinals moved the ball consistently, ending the season with a respectable-looking offense, even with a lack of talent in the passing game.
Conner was far and away the most valuable member of this Arizona Cardinals team in 2023, and he shows no signs of slowing down.
A leader and a producer, Conner will go down as one of Steve Keim's greatest-ever acquisitions, and was the heart and driving force of Arizona's 2023 season.
It wasn't a pretty year for the birds, but these players showed out when it mattered most and delivered excellent individual seasons.
An influx of talent added from the draft and free agency will allow these stars to show up even more in the coming years, and there is plenty of hope on the horizon for this team that looked lost to begin the year.
The Arizona Cardinals are closer than you think.
