Biggest Winners, Losers of Cardinals Offseason

The Arizona Cardinals offseason moves are mainly finished as we head into the dog days of summer and the NFL offseason.

Although the team could make some moves now that the post-June 1st deadline has passed for free agent signings to no longer affect compensatory picks, it seems unlikely Arizona will make any drastic moves.

It gives us time to sit back and assess the moves Arizona made in the past few months -- and there was no shortage of decisions made by the team.

The Cardinals were aggressive in adding talent, primarily on the defensive side of the ball. The team was contending for the NFC West division title and a playoff spot for much of the 2024 season before a collapse that dashed the hopes of fans.

Still, the team shocked the world and now there is some excitement for the Cardinals brewing in the desert.

The moves made can and should improve a Cardinals team that was largely contending with every team they faced a year ago. Jonathan Gannon's guys stepped up and played up to their competition on a weekly basis, but they will need to learn how to close out games and secure tight wins.

They will hopefully be much more adept to do so this season.

Positions were upgraded, coaches were given more options to use, and players were placed in situations to excel.

Of course, the opposite is true for all of those, and thus provides so-called "winners" and "losers" from the Cardinals offseason moves.

I believe there were five winners and losers for this team ranging between players to coaches and even to position groups.

Starting off on a positive note, few benefited from this offseason the way the Cardinals' bright young defensive coordinator did, and we could see his unit take some positive strides in 2025.

Winners of Cardinals Offseason

Nick Rallis

I don't think anyone was a bigger winner of the offseason than Rallis. Entering his third season as the team's defensive coordinator, the front office went all-in on improving a defense that he coached up and overachieved with based on the talent level.

The pass rush nabbed 41 sacks despite no clear standout rusher, so Arizona signed Josh Sweat and beefed up the rest of the front seven. Speaking of which, a depleted defensive line was reinforced with serious depth including veterans and high-upside players.

The secondary even got a shiny new cornerback to take a good unit to great.

Arizona's defense is primed to be the better of the two sides of the ball for the team in 2025, and Rallis has to be licking his chops at the potential to turn this unit into one of the better defenses in the league.

A standout season will also go a long way in his likely dreams to become a professional football head coach.

Paris Johnson Jr.

After a Pro Bowl-caliber season, Johnson will enter year three as the undisputed starting blindside blocker for the Cardinals. His transition from right to left tackle in year two was quite successful and he's bound to continue improving in year three.

Johnson is a winner for several reasons ranging from being the Cardinals' lone standout lineman to having a chance to prove himself as a top-end player and raise his future contract numbers.

Of course, Arizona will happily take another good season from the upward trending offensive tackle.

Arizona's Run Defense

That aforementioned defensive line got more additions than any other spot on the team. Veterans Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson were signed in free agency, and the team spent its first round pick on Ole Miss standout Walter Nolen.

Factor in the return of a healthy Darius Robinson and the run defense should see a significant boost in efficiency.

Trey McBride

McBride landed himself a record contract for his position at the time of signing and that makes him a winner in itself. But the superstar pass catcher will play in an unchanged offense that is catered to his strengths.

McBride is set up once again for another elite season as he secures his placement amongst the five, maybe three best tight ends in football.

The cornerback room

Sean Murphy-Bunting is unfortunately lost for the season, but Will Johnson was drafted in the second round of the draft and is more than good enough to become the team's ace cover man. Max Melton and Starling Thomas are back to compete for outside reps, and a healthy Elijah Jones makes the room even better.

Add in a potential breakout season from Garrett Williams, who can assert himself as the best nickel defender in all of football, and the cornerback room stands out as massive winners from the last few months.

Losers of Cardinals Offseason

Drew Petzing

Petzing is on the hot seat entering his third season as Arizona's offensive coordinator. He struggled to consistently place his players in positions to succeed due primarily to play calling, and unless he has ironed out the kinks in those failures then he isn't set up to succeed.

And that's because the offense made no changes. In fact, it might've gotten worse.

Petzing will be tasked with taking almost the exact same unit from last season and making them a much better one. He has the tools in terms of arsenal to improve, but it all falls on the shoulders of his play calling. No one is coming to save the offense if they falter.

Kyler Murray

If Petzing isn't the biggest victim of an unchanged offense, then it is certainly Murray.

2025 is a make-or-break season for the seventh-year man. Murray has severely underachieved to this point. Inconsistent and frankly bad coaching hasn't helped him, but he's always been placed in positions to succeed with his weapons. Yet, he simply hasn't.

Murray has no excuses this season and unfortunately he's playing with the same group that he failed to impress with last season. Like Petzing, Murray will have to improve his status alone with no one to fall back on and bail him out.

The right side of the offensive line

One more time for a spot that saw no improvement. The strong side of the offensive line was a massive need this offseason and, say it with me, nothing changed. In fact, the only change was the departure of Will Hernandez. So, unless this side of the line suddenly clicks despite unproven players and guys who can't seem to overcome injuries, they are in store for a long year.

Zaven Collins

The Cardinals' use of Collins has been all over the place. The 2021 first-round pick has been used as an inside and off-ball linebacker and has recently made a transition to edge rusher. The team has made investments to each of those spots, and it leaves Collins without any guaranteed playing time.

Collins has been long removed from a true linebacker role, or at least a significant one. Although he paced the team in sacks last season with five, he's unlikely to see the field as often as he did a year ago -- at least he will be forced into stiffer competition.

The Tulsa product appears to be on the outside looking in right now and his spot with the team is in jeopardy.

Darius Robinson

Speaking of first-round picks set for major competitions for playing time, the second-year man Robinson is already behind the eight ball for seeing the field this season.

Robinson was dealt a bad hand as a rookie with injuries and a family tragedy that impacted his production and impact for the team. His spot on the defensive line is in limbo after all of the aforementioned additions made to the room.

Other contributors including Dante Stills and LJ Collier are returning, as well. It makes the room that much more uncertain for who will see playing time.

Right, wrong, or indifferent, Robinson is facing huge pressure in just his second pro season. he's as talented as anyone on this roster and perhaps some heat under his seat will help push him to take that next step.