Cardinals CB Sean Murphy-Bunting 2025 season is over after injury

What Murphy-Bunting’s absence means for Cardinals:

Last year was Murphy-Bunting’s first year with the franchise after spending his first five years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans. The 27-year-old started 15 games for the Cardinals, recording three interceptions, five pass deflections and 52 tackles. He was a much needed veteran, alongside safety Budda Baker, in the secondary, but now won’t be on the field next season.

General manager Monti Ossenfort luckily got the steal of last month’s draft in Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson. The All-American was a projected top-10 pick in the draft, but injury concerns had him fall all the way to Arizona 47th overall. In 2023, Johnson helped lead Michigan to one of the best defenses in the country and eventually a national championship, where he earned defensive MVP.

Injuries derailed his senior season with the Wolverines, but during his introductory press conference with the Cardinals, Johnson denied any concerns regarding any nagging injuries and proclaimed he’s good to go. Johnson was touted as the best defensive back in the draft and a future No. one cornerback on a team. Arizona will need him to do that sooner than expected with Murphy-Bunting out.

The usual suspects will need to step up in the secondary, most notably Baker, who’s coming off his seventh-straight Pro-Bowl season. Returning defensive backs Startling Thomas V and Garrett Williams will be entering their third season with the Cardinals and have the opportunity to make a jump with the increase snaps.

This entered this offseason with a lot of questions surrounding the front seven and answered that by spending big money on Pro-Bowlers like edge Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Calais Campbell. However, with the news on Murphy-Bunting, the secondary now becomes a much more glaring issue to see how the team responds heading into 2025.