Bleacher Report's Stunning Claim is Good Sign for Arizona Cardinals

The state of the Arizona Cardinals' roster is driving outlets to some startlingly unexpected takes.

And for once, that's a good sign.

Bleacher Report: Arizona Cardinals' Punter Blake Gillikin is Most Important Extension Candidate

In a recent article, Bleacher Report's Moe Moton listed each team's most important extension candidate ahead of the 2025 season.

His candidate for the Cardinals? Blake Gillikin.

Yes, the punter.

"Punters deserve raises, too. This offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders made AJ Cole the highest-paid punter. Gillikin doesn't have Cole's Pro Bowl/All-Pro accolades for a big-money extension, but he's done a good job booming kicks downfield.

"Last season, he tied for fifth in yards per punt and tied for fourth in percentage of punts that pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line, thanks in part to the Cardinals' kick coverage team. He has no guaranteed money in a contract year. Arizona can keep its strong-legged punter under contract beyond 2025," Moton wrote.

In no disrespect to Gillikin, who has had an exceptional leg for the Cardinals in his desert tenure, a punter is not usually high on the priority list with regards to contract extensions — even if he's been an unsung hero.

But don't get caught up in the ridiculousness of the claim. It's actually a very good sign for the Cardinals' roster.

Why Bleacher Report's Arizona Cardinals Claim is A Good Sign

The simple fact that there's a lack of an obvious candidate that comes to mind is a positive sign for Arizona's improved roster. In fact, GM Monti Ossenfort has already offered extensions to three of Arizona's most valuable players.

James Conner, Budda Baker and Trey McBride all inked extension deals in the offseason. Meanwhile, rising stars like Paris Johnson Jr. and Garrett Williams are still young enough to not be eligible for an extension.

Veterans that may be on expiring deals no longer carry the same amount of weight, either. Players like Calais Campbell and Kelvin Beachum, as valuable as they are, are not names the Cardinals could not afford to lose after 2025.

So it's actually an exceptionally good sign for Arizona's roster that there isn't an obvious pool of players who need extensions. The Cardinals have gotten significantly younger, and have a wave of young talent coming in to fill the ranks from Ossenfort's draft classes.

There are no contract disputes, Arizona's valuable pieces are already under contract, and depth is no longer as much of a concern as it was in years prior.

If that means their only matter of business is taking care of their punter, sign away.

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