Cardinals ‘Expected’ to Make Trade After Final Roster Cuts

Alas, the 2025 NFL season has arrived. Preseason is in the rearview mirror and 53-man rosters have been finalized across the league. The Arizona Cardinals have trimmed their roster ahead of a Week 1 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, who had some tough decisions to make themselves (such as who to start at quarterback).

While they trimmed the roster to 53 players, the Cardinals could certainly be in the market to make more moves. Whether it be roster shifts because of injured players or getting value out of active roster-level talents, who don't quite have a spot in Arizona, more is to come from the front office.

Cardinals "expected" to make a trade

Cardinals Wire's Jess Root speculated on two "expected" moves from the club. The first speculated move is that Arizona will move Justin Jones to Injured Reserve. The next? A trade. Root highlighted that the Cardinals have 11 defensive backs on the roster, with five safeties and six cornerbacks.

So, Root suggests that the Cardinals could be moving one of the six defensive backs, bringing the idea that Elijah Jones or Kei'Trel Clark could be dealt in the near future.

"But six cornerbacks? It is uncertain who might have trade value. Perhaps Elijah Jones, a long, very athletic second-year player who has a lot of upside. Perhaps it is Kei'Trel Clark, who can play outside, inside, safety and on special teams," Root writes.

At this time of the year, every club wants to maximize the players on their roster, whether it be for their place on the depth chart or trade value. Arizona is no different, especially coming off an 8-9 campaign. They are hoping for more during the 2025 NFL season. They want to find their way back into the postseason.

The Cardinals will be hoping Kyler Murray can return to form under center, looking much more like he did back in 2021. The expectation is that he is at his healthiest point since then. His chemistry with Marvin Harrison Jr., a second-year wide receiver with plenty of potential, should be improved, too, increasing the likelihood of more production in the passing game.

First, Arizona will maximize its current 53-man roster, though, then the season will kick off and the club will be in hot pursuit of a playoff berth. Who knows, maybe an early-season trade will start the whole campaign on the right note, too.

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