EA Sports released ratings for all NFL players in “Madden NFL 20” on Monday. The Arizona Cardinals have only one player rated in the 90s and nine in the 80s.
While video game ratings aren’t exactly news, they are a point of intrigue for fans, many of whom play the game – especially since it tries to be as close to reality as possible.
Here are some interesting tidbits we learned from the Cardinals players’ ratings.
RT Marcus Gilbert is highest-rated lineman on team
Gilbert was one of the Cardinals’ offseason acquisitions and he is, in the video game, the best lineman on the team, given an overall rating of 84. He is a talented tackle who has struggled with injuries. He is 12 points higher than anyone else on the offensive line.
16 players with speed rating of 90+
The Cardinals have speed on their team. Sixteen different players have a 90 speed rating or higher. The highest rating belongs to receiver Damiere Byrd with a 96, followed by rookie wideout Andy Isabella.
The others are RB T.J. Logan, CB Brandon Williams, CB Robert Alford, S Rudy Ford, RB David Johnson, CB Patrick Peterson, WR Kevin White, WR Christian Kirk, QB Kyler Murray, CB Deatrick Nichols, WR Trent Sherfield, S Budda Baker, RB D.J. Foster and WR Chad Williams.
Terrell Suggs has higher rating than Chandler Jones
Suggs is a future Hall of Famer. However, entering his 17th year in the league, he is not the player he was a few years ago. For this reason, it is odd to see him rated higher than Jones, who has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the league. Suggs is an 83 and Jones is an 82. No one has more sacks in the last three years than Jones. He has had at least 11 in each of the last three years and led the NFL in sacks, tackles for loss and QB hits in 2017, making him the more disruptive player behind the line of scrimmage. And he’s only an 82 in Madden?
Patrick Peterson, D.J. Foster with surprising ratings for QB skills
As expected, rookie QB Kyler Murray has the highest rating for throwing power at 89. Backup Brett Hundley is next at 85 and Charles Kanoff, another QB, is 81. Peterson has the next-highest rating with a 64 and the next player’s rating drops to 48 in throwing power. Peterson has completed a pass in the NFL and he regularly competed with Cardinals quarterbacks in the bucket challenge for years.
Foster has the team’s third-highest rating for throwing on the run. Murray’s rating is 87 and is followed by Hundley’s 73. Foster’s is 67, which is higher than Kanoff’s. Peterson’s rating for throwing on the run is 35.
Rookie TE Caleb Wilson has best kicking skills for non-kicker
After punter Andy Lee and kicker Zane Gonzalez, the seventh-round tight end has the best kicking power rating. It is only a 44 while Lee’s and Gonzalez’ are both 96, but it is quite a bit higher than anyone else’s, as the next-highest is 31.
He also has a 38 for kicking accuracy. Gonzalez’ is 61 and no one else is above 30.
Cardinals’ best returners might surprise you
Pharoh Cooper and T.J. Logan, known as the return specialists on the team, are not the best returners, at least in terms of Madden ratings. Three players have a higher return rating. Patrick Peterson, who set records as a rookie on punt returns, is highest at 88. Next is Christian Kirk at 84 and then it is David Johnson at 83. Logan is 82 and Cooper is 81.
D.J. Swearinger is the biggest hitter
Swearinger was the only Cardinal to get a hit power rating of over 90. His is 93. Thirteen others have at least an 80, although Chandler Jones is only an 80. The team’s second-highest hit rating belongs to linebacker Tanner Vallejo.
LS Aaron Brewer one of lowest-rated players in league
With a 43 overall rating, Brewer is the lowest on the team. That rating is one of the lowest on the video game. Only 14 players have a lower overall rating. The lowest is a 36, belonging to Zach Wood of the Saints.
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