Cardinals go winless, other 2023 NFL bold predictions

The 2023 NFL Preseason is in the books, as teams finalized their 53-man rosters on Tuesday. Now, the regular season is in sight and fans around the league cannot contain their excitement. To celebrate the new campaign, let’s take a swing on some bold predictions.

Week 1 is always an exciting time, as every franchise still has optimism about earning a playoff berth. These things can change quickly, so it is important to soak up as much positivity as you can early in the year.

Along with a new campaign comes a fresh batch of predictions from analysts everywhere — I am no exception. While my full season-long predictions will hit NFLMocks on Sept. 7, let’s have some fun by guessing some of the bolder outcomes for the 2023 season.

Well, I can’t promise that all fan bases will have fun with this one. I apologize in advance.

Without further ado, we will start with the Arizona Cardinals and the likelihood that they make NFL history this year. But remember, not every record in the history book is one to aim for…

Bold Predictions: The Arizona Cardinals Will Not Win A Single Game In 2023

Am I overreacting to the fire sale that the Cardinals had before the roster cutdown deadline? Perhaps. But isn’t that what bold predictions are for?

Imagine for a second that quarterback Kyler Murray doesn’t return to the starting lineup — at least not until it’s too late. Reports state the Cardinals front office will not rush Murray back, and a recent trade for Joshua Dobbs seemed to solidify that stance. As respected as Dobbs is around the league, he is far from a quality starter.

And frankly, not even Murray’s ceiling could propel this abysmal roster to victory. The offensive line is a patchwork of players, although first-round pick Paris Johnson Jr. has franchise left tackle traits. Elsewhere on the offense, James Conner is the established presence in the backfield, while Marquise “Hollywood” Brown leads the wide receiver room following DeAndre Hopkins’ release.

The defense has seen a massive overhaul as new head coach Jonathan Gannon attempts to get “his guys” in the building. Former top 10 pick Isaiah Simmons was traded for a seventh-round pick earlier in the week, and the best cornerback on the roster, Byron Murphy, sports a Minnesota Vikings jersey these days. Safety Budda Baker is the last man standing, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he requested a trade before the Oct. 31 deadline.

Whether Murray returns or not, this roster is far below the standard an NFL team should strive for. That is unless the goal is tanking for a certain USC quarterback. I’ll go as far as saying Arizona will win zero football games in 2023. How’s that for bold?