What They're Saying About Cardinals in Week 17

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals have just two weeks left of football before the 2023 season is officially under wraps.

Having won just three games all season, the Cardinals haven't exactly given fans something to cheer for, though the future in terms of salary cap and draft capital looks awfully bright.

From Kyler Murray to draft pick solidification, here's what major power rankings are saying about the Cardinals heading into Week 17:

NFL.com: No. 30

Eric Edholm: "Many Cardinals fans are already thinking about next season, but even so, they must be concerned about Kyler Murray's uneven play in his abbreviated 2023 campaign. Seeing Arizona's defense struggle isn't the most shocking thing, given that unit's lack of talent and depth following significant attrition this past offseason. But with Murray, there are reasons why it's much more worrisome.

"The offensive personnel's in better shape, and there are young pieces Arizona plans to build around. Also, first-year coordinator Drew Petzing has displayed some creativity in the face of adversity. Murray, to be fair, has had his moments. But the passing game has stagnated, even if Murray's numbers in Sunday's loss at Chicago looked decent. He's been great in fourth quarters (67.6 percent completions, 486 yards, three TDs), but pretty darned ordinary in the first three quarters (59.4 percent, 819 yards, three TDs). I'll feel better if he finishes strong against Philadelphia and Seattle."

The Athletic: No. 31

Josh Kendall: "It hasn’t been an easy season in Arizona, but McBride has managed to play well enough often enough that the Cardinals felt comfortable letting Zach Ertz leave town. He’s had at least five targets every week since Week 6, and among tight ends in the NFL, he’s seventh in receiving yards (743) and third in yards per route run (2.15). It’s been quite a breakout season for a 2022 second-round pick who had 265 receiving yards last season."

Bleacher Report: No. 31

Brent Sobleski: "The Cardinals are back where they started," he said. "Arizona entered this season with many evaluating its roster as the NFL's worst. Well, those evaluations were slightly off. As of now, the Cardinals hold the league's second-worst record. But the positive is that this team can take multiple draft picks, including a pair of first-rounders, and truly start building a foundation along the lines of head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort's vision, which likely starts with quarterback Kyler Murray but doesn't include much beyond that point."

Yahoo!: No. 30

Frank Schwab: "If the Cardinals lose at Philadelphia and vs. Seattle to end the season, they'll have at worst the second pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. That opens up options. They can either pick a top quarterback or deal the pick for a fortune if they want to ride it out with Kyler Murray. Either way it's a great place to be in. That Patriots' win on Sunday night was huge for Arizona."

The Cardinals play the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17.