2024 season: 8-9, third in NFC West, missed playoffs
Overview: The Arizona Cardinals are on the way up after suffering through back-to-back four-win campaigns.
The Cardinals narrowly missed the playoffs in a very competitive NFC West, and they dropped several close one-score games down the stretch of the season that kept them from what would’ve been their first postseason appearance since the 2021 season.
While it wasn’t the result they had hoped for, it’s hard to complain when looking at the bigger picture — and how well Kyler Murray played. He returned from last season’s knee injury and racked up more than 3,800 passing yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He had more than 550 rushing yards, too, the most he’s had since the 2020 campaign.
Murray had plenty of options on offense. Trey McBride finished behind only Raiders tight end Brock Bowers in terms of receiving yards among tight ends in the league. This has him in line for a massive contract extension this offseason. Marvin Harrison Jr. looked promising in his rookie campaign and James Conner had his best season in the league to date.
If the Cardinals can improve their defense just a bit — they have the money to make that happen — and start winning close games in 2025, there’s no reason they can’t make a playoff run next season.
Key free agents
LB Kyzir White
Edge Dennis Gardeck
G Will Hernandez
G Evan Brown
Who’s in/out: White sounds like he’s out the door, which isn’t a good sign for the Cardinals’ defense. The team captain will become a free agent this offseason, and he already posted a clear goodbye message on social media after the season ended. He returned to form this season and racked up 137 tackles and 2.5 sacks after missing a good chunk of the 2023 campaign. That’ll be a spot for the Cardinals to fill.
The offensive line is set to take a hit, too. Hernandez, who is coming off a torn ACL, Brown and Trystan Colon are all set to be free agents. Keeping at least one of them next season should be a priority.
Key free-agent needs
Edge rusher
Offensive line
Linebacker
Why the holes?
The Cardinals’ offense is in solid shape. The defense, though, has holes it can fill. Arizona needs to bring in at least one elite pass rusher to complement Zaven Collins, who led the Cardinals in sacks last season. Linebacker BJ Ojulari is slated to return from his ACL injury, but a more experienced player would be a great add. They are also (likely) down White, so bringing in a veteran replacement there would be huge to keep the defense together.
As for the offensive line, the team should bring in at least one reliable starting guard to help complement what’s left of the line after free agency. While the defense is undoubtedly the priority, protecting Kyler Murray and keeping the offense trending in the right direction can’t be overlooked.
Do they have the money?
Yes. The Cardinals enter the offseason with more than $64 million in cap space. That’s the sixth-most across the league.
Notable projected cuts
DeeJay Dallas, RB
Why he may be gone: The Cardinals don’t need to make many cuts, considering how much cap space they have to work with. But getting rid of Dallas feels like an easy move that would save the team nearly $2.5 million. Dallas signed a three-year deal with the team last offseason, but he had only nine carries all year. There’s no reason to overpay for that type of production.
Draft picks
1st round: No. 16
2nd round: No. 47
3rd round: No. 78
4th round
5th round
Good draft fit
Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
Why him? Walker would be perfect for the Cardinals. He had 57 total tackles and 6.5 sacks last season. The edge rusher and linebacker can slide into both spots for Arizona’s defense, and he should be very productive in its system right away.
If coaches state they plan to use Marvin Harrison Jr. differently in 2025
MHJ was a massive fantasy disappointment as a rookie, and part of that stemmed from curious usage; Harrison ranked 48th in target rate, and he led the league in “go routes” (more than a quarter of his routes!). Harrison was one of the most effective receivers in the league when targeted over the middle, but he saw the second-highest rate of targets (75%) in the league on the perimeter. MHJ was clearly misused as a decoy as a rookie. Fantasy managers should be watching for any plans by Arizona’s coaching staff to feature Harrison differently in 2025. —Dalton Del Don
