Injuries may force Cardinals to use this interesting offensive strategy

Syndication: Arizona Republic

GLENDALE – The Arizona Cardinals are starting to open up the playbook even further, after losing another key piece of the offense on Sunday. Backup tight end Travis Vokolek went down during Week 6 with a serious neck injury that has ruled him out for the rest of the season. Vokolek joins fellow backup tight end Tip Reiman on the sideline due to season-ending injuries.

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The losses has effected Arizona’s offensive gameplan severely, as offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has started to considered lining up a backup offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum at tight end.

Petzing on using OL Beachum as a TE in the offense:

No team in the NFL ran 13 personnel more than the Cardinals last season, which is why they had four tight ends on the initial 53-man roster. Reiman and Vokolek’s absences has forced Petzing as the play caller to figure out how to fill in the holes into his playbook. Vokolek was strictly used as a blocking tight end, recording zero catches in his three seasons with the franchise.

Beachum will lineup as an eligible receiver, like Vokolek, but will only be used as an extra blocker for Arizona’s running backs. The idea could be critical to helping a struggling offensive line that hasn’t been able to match the production of last year’s run game. The Cardinals went from 2nd to 13th in yards per carry in the NFL, adding Beachum could improve those numbers.

Cardinals offensive line proves that it needs more time to grow

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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports