2025 NFL Season Preview: Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals (Last Year: 8-9)

2025 NFL Season Preview:

Veteran Additions:
QB Jacoby Brissett, G Jake Curhan, G Royce Newman, DE Josh Sweat, DT Calais Campbell, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB Mykal Walker, CB Jaylon Jones.
Early Draft Picks:
DT Walter Nolen, CB Will Johnson, DE Jordan Burch, LB Cody Simon. Cardinals Rookie Forecast
Offseason Losses:
OT Kelvin Beachum, G Will Hernandez, DT Roy Lopez, OLB Dennis Gardeck, K Matt Prater.

2025 Arizona Cardinals Offense:
Entering the 2024 season, Kyler Murray wasn’t very far removed from a torn ACL. Shockingly, he was able to play every game in a single season for the first time in his career. Murray has endured many injury issues throughout his career, so the odds are against him having another completely healthy season in 2025. Thus, it was a good move for the Cardinals to sign a reliable veteran backup like Jacoby Brissett.

It’s obviously important for the Cardinals to shield Murray, given his small stature. With that in mind, they’ve assembled a strong group of blockers, with most of the unit returning from last year. The two tackles remain unchanged, with Paris Johnson and Jonah Williams set to start again. Johnson has emerged as a Pro Bowl-caliber blind-side protector, while Williams is solid player. The only worry with these two is that Williams also has an extensive injury history. Arizona was considering drafting a tackle in the first round early in the pre-draft process for that reason.

In the interior, center Hjalte Froholdt was a pleasant surprise last year, as he performed on a high level despite being a journeyman in the past. He’ll be surrounded by Evan Brown and Isaiah Adams. Brown is a quality blocker who can play both guard and center. Adams, a 2024 third-rounder, began last season as a backup, but saw some starting action late in the year. He wasn’t very good, but could improve now that he has experience.

Speaking of improving with experience, the Cardinals will be hoping that Marvin Harrison Jr. makes a big leap. Harrison was the first non-quarterback drafted in a loaded 2024 class, yet he failed to live up to expectations. He struggled to separate, and he and Murray didn’t have the best chemistry. Harrison has the pedigree to have a huge sophomore campaign, but it remains to be seen if he can elevate his play and become the dynamic talent the Cardinals thought they were getting.

Murray will at least be able to rely on Trey McBride. The athletic tight end had a monstrous 2024 campaign despite failing to score a touchdown until the penultimate game of the season. Murray’s other receiving options aren’t great, with Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch being mediocre at best, so Murray will have to lean on McBride heavily.

Then again, Murray can just feed the ball to James Conner. The sturdy back is coming off another solid year in which he rushed for 1,094 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 47 passes. There’s some concern with Conner’s age (30), so perhaps Trey Benson will be worked into the offense more often this season.

2025 Arizona Cardinals Defense:
No one was breaking any news by stating that the Cardinals desperately needed defensive help this offseason. The last time Arizona ranked better than 21st in yards allowed was 2021. The pass rush, in particular, was very weak. Arizona had the sixth-worst pressure rate in the NFL last year.

The Cardinals spent tons of energy addressing their weak pass rush this offseason. They started by giving Josh Sweat a huge contract. Sweat dominated the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, so much so that he was likely to be named MVP until Jalen Hurts heaved a long bomb to DeVonta Smith in the second half. Sweat was part of a rotation in Philadelphia, but there’s no reason to believe that he can’t take on a much larger role in Arizona, especially given his familiarity with Jonathan Gannon’s scheme. Sweat will be the overwhelming favorite to lead the team in sacks, given that Zaven Collins held that distinction last year with just five. Collins is a solid player when it comes to playing in run support and coverage, but his pass-rushing skills are lackluster.

Sweat wasn’t the only pass-rushing addition Arizona made this offseason. The team signed a pair of defensive tackles in Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson, and then drafted Walter Nolen in the opening round. While both Campbell and Tomlinson are old, the former is still capable of playing on a high level. While he’s not the All-Pro player he was when he was in Arizona for the first time, he can still be a solid contributor. Tomlinson’s skills have eroded, but he can still hold up fine against the run. Nolen, meanwhile, has some character concerns, but he’s an amazing talent who can be a perennial Pro Bowler if he lives up to his ability. Darius Robinson, chosen in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, will be in the mix as well after a disappointing rookie campaign.

Arizona’s improved pass rush will obviously help a secondary that has struggled ever since Patrick Peterson departed. Cornerback, in particular, has been a massive problem. Garrett Williams performed well last year after he returned from a lengthy absence, but everyone else at the position was awful. Recognizing this, the Cardinals used their second-round pick on Will Johnson, which could end up being a massive steal. Johnson was considered a top-10 prospect until teams learned about his degenerative knee. It’s possible that Johnson will fail in the NFL because of this issue, but if he can overcome it, Arizona will have another potential perennial Pro Bowler. Williams and Johnson will start along with Max Melton, another second-round pick who was torched often last season.

The best player in Arizona’s secondary continues to be Budda Baker, who should have another great year. Safety is a strong position for the Cardinals, as Jalen Thompson is a quality player to start alongside Baker.

Rounding out the defense, the linebacking corps is an area that didn’t get much needed attention. The Cardinals signed Akeem Davis-Gaither, but he’s not very good. The team’s top linebacker will continue to be Mack Wilson, who is rather mediocre.

2025 Arizona Cardinals Schedule and Intangibles:
Something that was apparent during Arizona’s run to the Super Bowl in 2008 was the home-field advantage the team unceremoniously established. They have not maintained that with Kyler Murray. Arizona is 21-27-1 as a host in the Murray era.

Matt Prater is gone. He has been replaced by Chad Ryland, a former Patriots bust. Ryland recovered from that part of his career, going 28-of-32 last year. He made all four of his attempts from 50-plus.

Punter Blake Gillikin finished fourth in net punting, but struggled to pin the opposition inside the 20.

The Cardinals have a very easy start to their season, beginning with the Saints, Panthers, 49ers, Seahawks, Titans, and Colts before things get tougher.

2025 Arizona Cardinals Rookies:
Go here for the Cardinals Rookie Forecast, a page with predictions like which rookie will bust and which rookie will become a solid starter.

2025 Arizona Cardinals Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):

Quarterbacks	Offensive Line	Secondary
Running Backs	Defensive Line	Special Teams
Receivers	Linebackers	Coaching

2025 Arizona Cardinals Analysis: With an easy schedule, a strong offensive line, and an improved defense, the Cardinals might be able to make a run at the playoffs. This, however, would require Kyler Murray to remain healthy for an entire year, which is something he never had done prior to 2024. Having Jacoby Brissett will be helpful if Murray is out for a few games, but not if his annual injury absence is longer than that.

Projection: 8-9 (3rd in NFC West)

2024 Projection: 5-12. 2023 Actual Result: 8-9.
2023 Projection: 1-16. 2023 Actual Result: 4-13.
2022 Projection: 6-11. 2022 Actual Result: 4-13.
2021 Projection: 12-5. 2021 Actual Result: 11-6.
2020 Projection: 9-7. 2020 Actual Result: 8-8.
2019 Projection: 5-11. 2019 Actual Result: 5-10-1.
2018 Projection: 5-11. 2018 Actual Result: 3-13.
2017 Projection: 8-8. 2017 Actual Result: 8-8.
2016 Projection: 13-3. 2016 Actual Result: 7-8-1.

NFL Draft Team Grade: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2025 NFL Draft: Arizona has plenty of offensive talent, so the defense must be the focus in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Cardinals have a poor pass rush, which must be addressed despite the additions of Calais Campbell and Josh Sweat. The greatest area of need is at cornerback, which has been a problem area for many seasons.

2025 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Charlie Campbell tweeted that the Cardinals had the best class in the entire 2025 NFL Draft. Is Charlie correct? Perhaps through the first two days of the draft. Arizona’s first three picks were graded A-, A+, and A, as the front office was able to find amazing values while filling big needs on the defensive side of the ball. Will Johnson was a huge risk, but comes with unbelievable upside in the middle of the second frame. Walter Nolen has similar potential.

The Cardinals didn’t draft that well on Saturday, however. They made a couple of reaches with their two Ohio State products. Two C+ grades offer a slight alteration to the overall mark, but the front office rebounded with two solid choices to close out the day.

Overall, Arizona did great. The Cardinals certainly finished with a top-five draft class. They definitely put together an incredible haul in which their top three players – particularly Nolen and Johnson – will be able to bolster a poor defense enough to get the organization over the hump and into the playoffs.

NFL Draft Individual Grades:

16. Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss – A- Grade

Walter Nolen was projected by many to go No. 11. I saw some even have him as high as No. 8. Nolen is one of the most talented players in this class. He has insane upside, but there are some questions about his work ethic. I’d have an issue with this pick if it were made in the top 10 with so many other great prospects available, but Nolen is arguably the best player on the board.

47. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan – A+ Grade

Will Johnson was the top cornerback in this class not named Travis Hunter. He was going to be drafted in the top 10, but then he was flagged for a knee issue. The knee could crush his career, but if it doesn’t, the Cardinals will have obtained a shutdown cornerback in the middle of Round 2. Every draft pick is a roll of the dice, so why not gamble on such a talented player’s upside?

78. Jordan Burch, DE, Oregon – A Grade

I love this value. I once had Jordan Burch in the first round, but settled on him being in the second. He is an athletic edge player who should be able to help the Cardinals rush the passer.

115. Cody Simon, LB, Ohio State – C+ Grade

The Cardinals were looking for an off-ball linebacker, so the need makes sense. I think this is a bit of a reach, as Cody Simon was projected around the sixth round. He was productive at Ohio State, but doesn’t have very good talent.

174. Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State – C+ Grade

Denzel Burke’s draft stock fell off a cliff. He was once considered an early prospect, but struggled later in his collegiate career. There are also speed concerns with him. This isn’t a good pick, but I get Arizona’s thought process behind it.

211. Hayden Conner, G, Texas – B Grade

Adding interior offensive line depth seems right for the Cardinals, who need to make sure Kyler Murray is protected. Hayden Conner, who fits the range, is steady in both pass protection and run blocking.

225. Kitan Crawford, S, Nevada – B Grade

Kitan Crawford is a smaller safety, but he has plus athleticism and was expected to go in the seventh round. He’ll have to stick on special teams, but could eventually push for a starting job.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.