The Arizona Cardinals were nowhere near playoff contention in the second half of the 2023 NFL season, but the team still had a lot to be excited about when quarterback Kyler Murray returned under center
Murray, who tore an ACL midway through the 2022 campaign, had his rehab trickle into the 2023 regular season. Once he returned, the Cardinals' offense in Drew Petzing's system looked fluid, and the scoreboard reflected that.
Murray told Fox News Digital in April "people have amnesia" after some suggested he was playing with something to prove.
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"I haven't, to my standard, even touched the ceiling personally," he added just before the 2024 NFL Draft. "I'm in a place right now as far as the people around me, what they're putting around me, I feel we're heading in the right direction."
Cardinals veteran offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum is someone who blocked for Murray the past few seasons, and he is seeing a different Murray who is feeling more comfortable in his second year in this scheme.
"I really feel that he’s really starting to master this offense," Beachum told Fox News Digital while discussing his inspiring work with World Vision. "I think that’s a beautiful thing when you have a quarterback that’s really mastered the offense. He was coming off the injury last year — new offense, new head coach, new regime. I really feel he’s been able to get to a position of comfort with this particular offense, and comfort with the play-caller and comfort with the receivers, running backs and offensive line.
CARDINALS WR MARVIN HARRISON JR. AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED: ‘HE’S A FREAK OF NATURE'
"When you have a quarterback who’s comfortable and confident in what’s being called and executed, I really feel it puts the team in a really good position to be successful."
It's clear Murray's success this season for Arizona is vital for its playoff chances, but Beachum's assessment of the situation the offense found itself in last season — learning a new scheme takes time to perfect — can't be ignored.
And while Murray appears to Beachum as a comfortable and confident quarterback in this offense, he also sees him with a new top receiver who is already turning heads at training camp.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has been described as a freak of nature, and all reports point to the No. 4 overall pick of this year's NFL Draft being as good as advertised.
"I’ve said this already, man. When the ball is in his vicinity, he is making a play," Beachum said of Harrison. "It’s as simple as that."
Beachum added that Harrison is doing extra work, getting out on the practice field early or staying late to catch balls from a JUGS machine to get his hands right for a rookie season filled with expectations.
Beachum is looking to help his offensive line any way he can to improve on a disappointing 4-13 record in 2023. Beachum isn't slated to start at one of the tackle positions this season, but he says he will "be a positive contributor to this team, no matter what [his] capacity is and whenever my number is called" in his 13th NFL season.
Of course, there is more to an NFL playoff team than just a good offense. The defense and special teams must play their part as well. But if Murray is able to build on last season, the Cardinals could be this year's surprise team in the NFL in a tough NFC West division.
MAKING A ‘MEANINGFUL’ DIFFERENCE
While Beachum is excited for his 13th year in the NFL, he remains devoted to helping more than just his team on the field.
Beachum has partnered with World Vision, a faith-based humanitarian aid, development and advocacy organization, for years now due to its commitment to helping people globally.
Whether it's helping communities find access to clean water, essential health care and nutrition training for women and children or educational programs, World Vision is a team Beachum and his family enjoy working with to provide a meaningful impact.
"At the end of the day, I feel like it’s an obligation," he explained. "I’ve been blessed to play this game for a while now, and I’ve been fortunate to be healthy. When you have the opportunity to find out what you actually love doing and what you can commit yourself to doing for a very long time, there’s an impact you can make.
"For me, I wanted to go very, very deep with a few people, and World Vision has allowed me to go very, very deep with them."
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