Cardinals OC Drew Petzing aims to 'attack the defense in different ways' with diverse group of pass catchers

Kyler Murray‘s healthy offseason is all the buzz in the desert entering 2024, but the opportunity ahead for Arizona’s revamped collection of pass catchers shouldn’t be overlooked.

First-round rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., who Murray believes will take the Cardinals’ offense “to another level,” headlines a receiving unit that offers a little bit of everything, including Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, veteran newcomers Zay Jones and Chris Moore, and tight end Trey McBride.

Drew Petzing, the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator, expressed his confidence in the team with a concept that would undoubtedly bewilder rival defenses.

“Petzing humorously suggested to reporters on Thursday that they might petition the league to have two footballs in play at all times. He explained that having a team with a variety of skills allows for different strategies in attacking the defense. According to Petzing, it’s not always clear where the weakness lies each week or what needs to be exploited. So, having everyone excel at one thing could be detrimental if that is not the right approach for a particular week. The ability to adjust, he said, is an integral part of their identity and their ongoing goal in all aspects.”

Last season, the Cardinals had an average of 105.3 receiving yards per game, ranking them third from the bottom in the league. However, much of 2023 saw Murray sidelined as he was recuperating from a torn ACL sustained late in the previous season.

McBride led the team in targets (106), receptions (81) and receiving yards (825), but the Cardinals’ top two wideouts in targets last season are no longer on the team (Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore).

Petzing isn’t worried about how the ball will be shared among an enthusiastic team, given the plentiful opportunities in Arizona’s passing attack this coming season.

“Building our roster, a directive that stems from our general manager, Monti Ossenfort, and head coach, Jonathan Gannon, revolves solely around winning. This fundamental goal will not alter,” stated Petzing. “If our primary objective is winning, and we position ourselves to achieve this, the players will be content with their contributions and their position in the team. Great players naturally desire the ball – it’s not necessarily a sign of selfishness, but rather their belief that it’s the best strategy to secure a victory. We want such players on our team, those who are eager to contribute to our wins.”

I told Kyler, in jest, that sometimes a quarterback may feel burdened with the need to pass the ball to a particular player. However, that’s not his responsibility – that falls within my role as a coach. We can and will guide some of those decisions. His job is to execute the play. Regardless of how the game looks, he should focus on where the ball needs to go and make the necessary decisions without worrying about other factors. I believe the character of the players we discussed in this room is such that I don’t need to worry about this.

Murray’s comeback late in the season undeniably demonstrated the offensive capability within Petzing’s scheme. There was an improvement in yardage totals in almost every aspect, and the offense scored points against worthy defenses. This resulted in a threefold increase in the Cardinals’ final victory total over the last eight games.

It wasn’t all that long ago Murray showed MVP potential in 2021, and after going through the offseason program with the star quarterback, some teammates are thinking he’s capable of returning to that pedigree now that the major knee injury is behind him.

Petzing spoke about Murray, saying, “He’s the kind of guy who improves every day. Sometimes it’s physical improvement, sometimes it’s mental, and sometimes it’s in terms of leadership. But since he takes his job and sport so seriously, I believe you’ll always see that growth. I think he’s always striving to improve as a player, teammate, and leader. So, the more chances he gets to do so, the more he learns, just like us coaches. I think this was evident throughout the spring.”

The only unresolved question is who will primarily benefit from the Cardinals’ passing attack with a healthy Murray leading.