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Arizona Cardinals: 5 offseason needs in 2020

By Russell S. Baxter

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Kliff Kingsbury of the Arizona Cardinals on the sidelines in the first half of the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Kliff Kingsbury of the Arizona Cardinals on the sidelines in the first half of the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 22: Defensive back Patrick Peterson #21 of the Arizona Cardinals covers wide receiver DK Metcalf #14 of the Seattle Seahawks during game at CenturyLink Field on December 22, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. The Cardinals won 27-13. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 22: Defensive back Patrick Peterson #21 of the Arizona Cardinals covers wide receiver DK Metcalf #14 of the Seattle Seahawks during game at CenturyLink Field on December 22, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. The Cardinals won 27-13. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

3. Address the cornerback position

The shortcomings on pass defense will be a common theme over the latter part of this evaluation. This comes courtesy of former NFL defensive back Solomon Wilcots via Pro Football Focus (subscription required):

"While playing in a man coverage shell on 32 percent of their coverage snaps, the Cardinals’ secondary collapsed under the weight of many of the NFL’s top-tier passing attacks. They allowed the league’s highest completion percentage (75.5), the most receptions (417), the most touchdown passes (37), the most combined first downs and touchdowns (239) and the highest passer rating to opposing quarterbacks (117.9)."

One season earlier, the Cardinals finished last in the NFL against the run. Don’t be fooled that the team gave up the fourth-fewest passing yards in the league. The adage states that why fly when you can drive. But even with dynamic pass-rusher Chandler Jones hounding opposing signal-callers and Arizona finishing with a respectable 40 sacks, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s unit had its issues.

Veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson picked off two passes despite being suspended for the first six games of the season. Rookie Byron Murphy, a second-round pick in ’19, had the other. Those were the only picks by Cardinals’ cornerbacks in 2019. And Kingsbury’s club was tied for last in the league with seven interceptions this past year. There’s a lot to be done here in terms of bolstering this area, especially if the team is going to move up in the division standings.

Next: No. 2

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