Exciting times for the Arizona Cardinals, who have agreed to sign up all six rookies from the drafts. The governing body of the NFL is still ironing out some of the details of how and when the 2020 season will begin, but with these new draft signings, the Cardinals will be rearing to go. This post is a look at the signings and their contracts, plus a few predictions on what could happen this season.
Josh Jones
The offensive tackle joins on a four-year contract and played for the University of Houston. In all four seasons he was there, he started every game he was in, so he has a reliable track record. He allowed just one sack, no quarterback hits and three hurries last season.
Isiah Simmons
Linebacker Isiah Simmons has received a five-year contract. According to reports, his contract is worth $20.66 million, and he’ll be able to boost his fifth-year salary if he reaches one or more Pro Bowls. He’s also believed to have received a bonus of $12.58 million for signing the contract. Simmons is a major signing and will lend considerable prestige to the team, having shown promise from early in his career. In just his second season at Clemson, from where the Cardinals selected him, he won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker.
Leki Fotu
The defensive lineman Leki Fotu, who started out by playing high-school rugby, signs for four years. He has some serious upper body strength and drive to push forward when the going gets tough. Recruited from Utah, he has totaled 85 tackles, 18.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and three passes defensed in his college career. He signs for four years.
Rashard Lawrence
Rashard Lawrence, drafted from Louisiana State University’s (LSU) Tigers, is a tough defensive lineman and will add some serious solidity to the team’s structure. Last season, he was the team’s National Championship captain and has been the permanent team captain for three seasons. He played in 44 games, with 34 starts, for the Tigers and registered 120 tackles. He also signs for four years.
Evan Weaver
Linebacker Evan Weaver joins for four years from the University of California Golden Bears. He is much underrated, but he’s produced consistently for his team. He’s played in 49 games out of a possible 50 and has started the last 26 games of his college career. He’s posted 412 tackles and, in the last season, led at the highest college level, the FBS level, in number of tackles per game. He’s a solid player, despite the skepticism of some critics.
Eno Benjamin
Running back Eno Benjamin joins for the Cardinals for four years from Arizona State. In three seasons, he appeared in 25 games and totaled 2 867 years and 27 touchdowns on 567 attempts. He added 82 receptions for 625 yards and four touchdowns. He’s a quick learner and will bring a lot to the team.
Predictions for the 2020 NFL season
The signings mean that the Cardinals have an exciting season ahead. Fans of betting will have a lot to think about, whether they’re following the Cardinals in the home state itself or states where sports betting is also legal and regulated like Indiana and Pennsylvania. Given the potential and the track record of the new players, the betting market may start to bet more on points, rather than overall outcomes, or even bet on particular sections of the game. Here are some thoughts on how the season could go for the Cardinals, plus some wider predictions about the league:
8–8 wins
Experts are divided on how the team will fare during 2020. Some predict that the team will finish 8–8 on wins, whereas others believe the team will have a winning record of 9–7 on the season. Despite the additions to the team, some feel that the actual schedule of games, which will see streaks of time when the team is out on the road, and some tough games in the second half of the season, may affect their performance. All that being said… analysts agree that the Cardinals will enjoy a better season than they did last year.
The Cardinals will have a top-five offense
Experts have predicted that the team will have a formidable offense. The Cardinals have acquired a powerful weapon in the form of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, so opponents should be afraid. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has been productive, and third-year wide receiver Christian Kirk has continued to improve. The Cardinals will be able to mount some serious attacks this season.
The Seahawks will win the Super Bowl
The Seahawks are the favorites to win the Super Bowl, although the champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, were in hot form and love a high-scoring game. The San Francisco 49ers are the underdogs due to their love of defensive play, but not everyone is ruling them out because they tend to score points in bunches. The new drafts will allow the Arizona Cardinals to come out fighting this season, and they’ll keep doing so for several seasons. They may have not had the best season in 2019, but 2020 could be a whole new ball game, with experts predicting a marked improvement in the team’s performance. Let’s see what happens.
