Arizona Cardinals' surprising draft strategy already paying dividends after injury ends key veteran defender's season

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Kyle Crabbs | Last updated May 22, 2025 8:06 PM ET

The strength of the Arizona Cardinals’ defense last season was the secondary. With names such as Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson prowling the back end and young talents on rookie contracts like Garrett Williams, Starling Thomas, and Max Melton in hand, Jonathan Gannon appeared to have plenty of pieces to work and grow with.

Arizona also boasted a veteran defender with coverage versatility in Sean Murphy-Bunting — who started 15 games for the Cardinals last season and was entering into the second year of a three-year contract with Arizona.

With all those names and youth at Arizona’s disposal, it was a surprise to some to see Arizona double dip with more cornerbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. The selection of former Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson with the No. 47 overall pick was one thing. You could easily make the case that he was a “best player available” selection despite his reported injury risk. But the Cardinals also selected former Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke in the 5th round.

Yet the Cardinals’ decision to double dip is coming into focus already. The team formally placed Murphy-Bunting on the reserve/non-football injury list this afternoon. The decision officially ends Murphy-Bunting’s 2025 season before it even begins, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The #AZCardinals have placed CB Sean Murphy-Bunting on the reserve/non-football injury list, ending his 2025 season before it began.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 22, 2025

The roster transaction opens 728 defensive snaps from last year’s secondary, which are now available for any of Arizona’s young defensive backs to step into. Will Johnson should be considered the leader in the clubhouse given his talent, although he’ll need to prove he’s fully removed from the injuries that dogged him throughout the 2024 season and his pre-draft process.

It serves as a healthy reminder to never assume a team has “too much” talent at a single position in the draft process. Life comes at you fast in the NFL and now, thanks to some advanced anticipation from the Cardinals in April, Jonathan Gannon’s secondary will have the upside of reinforcements necessary to be excited about their alternative answers for 2025 and beyond.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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