Ranking the 5 most important players on Arizona Cardinals' 2024 roster feat. Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr.

The Arizona Cardinals are coming off a lost season but are looking like one of the dark horses entering the 2024 season. They have their star quarterback back healthy, have one of the most exciting wide receiver prospects in the game, and have some genuinely underrated pieces surrounding them. Here are the most important players for the Cardinals going into 2024.

2024 most important players: Arizona Cardinals

#5 - James Conner

For any team to succeed, a good running game is important. Gaining yards on the ground can lead to scores and also disguise pass-action plays. But for mobile quarterbacks like Kyler Murray, it can provide a dual-angled threat for the defense. The quarterback can choose to take off in the other direction as the running back provides a decoy. It is something Lamar Jackson and the Ravens use exceptionally well.

That is where James Conner becomes important. He was a bright spot last season for them when he rushed for more than 1,000 yards for just the first time in his career. His continued production may prove vital.

#4 - Zay Jones

Zay Jones is supposed to bring experience to the offense and use this chance to show his worth. A former second-round pick, he is now on his fourth team and has never been to the Pro Bowl. But now he gets to be the top receiver on one perimeter with a mobile quarterback.

If he can reach the potential, that every team that has ever had him thought he did, he will become a fan favorite.

#3 - Marvin Harrison Jr.

When the Cardinals selected Marvin Harrison Jr. as the first wide receiver in this year's draft, they sent two messages to other teams. The first was that they were happy with their quarterback and satisfied with giving him offensive weapons. The other was that they had just acquired a generational talent who could play and dominate the league for a long time to come.

Marvin Harrison Jr. is seen as an NFL-ready player from the first day and Arizona fans will be hoping he can elevate their team to instant contenders like Ja'Marr Chase did with the Bengals or Justin Jefferson did with the Vikings.

#2 - Budda Baker

Only one player made it to the Pro Bowl from the Cardinals last year. It was the ageless Budda Baker. In a season where the team did not perform well enough, the veteran safety remained elite. He has been to six Pro Bowls since 2017, the year he was drafted, and has not missed an edition since 2019.

It shows his importance to the franchise. He has been a consistent presence for Arizona even as other players have left. He has also brought the energy and excellence that newer recruits can feed off of. Budda Baker will be the leader on the defensive side of the ball and one of the most important players on the roster.

#1 - Kyler Murray

The quarterback missed a significant portion of last season recovering from injury and his absence immediately lowered expectations in Arizona even before they began playing. Now, Kyler Murray is back.

There have been off-field distractions, criticisms, and comments, but at his best, Murray is still one of the most watchable players in the league. He is an elite dual-threat quarterback who can escape the pocket, keep a play alive, and make dangerous throws.

His team certainly believes in him and, so, did not draft a quarterback even if they could have and instead gave him a premier wide receiver to play with. Now, he has to come good. Just like last season, the Cardinals' hope will rest mostly on their quarterback's shoulders.