San Francisco 49ers: 3 discreet challenges team will face in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: The Arizona Cardinals
Another team which could have a quick turnaround is one of those NFC West rivals, the Arizona Cardinals.
Despite their 5-10-1 record last season, the Cardinals proved to be much feistier than many anticipated. Then-rookie quarterback Kyler Murray, whom Arizona selected with the top pick in the NFL Draft last year, showcased enough talent to suggest he’ll be a problem both for the 49ers and the rest of the division in coming years.
Murray frustrated San Francisco so much in two games last season, now-Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner referred to tackling Murray like chasing “a little squirrel back there.”
It took two hard-fought, down-to-the-minute wins for San Francisco to beat Arizona twice last season, first in Week 9 and again in Week 11.
That was before the Cardinals added perennial All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in a one-sided trade with the Houston Texans, giving Murray yet another prolific pass-catching weapon.
And with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Cardinals figure to get even better this upcoming season, presenting an under-the-radar challenge for San Francisco.