Cardinals Rebuild, Future Hinges on This Offseason

The Arizona Cardinals have finished two full seasons under the guidance of general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon.

After the previous regime was relieved of their duties following a dismal 2022 season, the Cardinals won just four games before doubling that total this past season.

Entering their third offseason under Gannon/Ossenfort, expectations have now shifted from the very pebbles of Arizona's rebuild to forging themselves as a playoff contender moving forward.

The Cardinals tout roughly $70 million in cap space with picks in the first five rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Simply put, it's go time for the Cardinals.

That's the sentiment around many who support and cover the team, and such is true for ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler recently grouped all 32 teams in tiers of where the respective franchises are at, and the Cardinals were at the top of the "this could go either way" tier:

"Arizona is positioned for success entering the third season under coach Jonathan Gannon and GM Monti Ossenfort. This regime hasn't spent big in free agency, relying on the draft to rebuild, but now might be the time to pounce, coming off a seven-win season. The offensive line, pass rush and cornerback positions need improvements. There's money to spend. Quarterback Kyler Murray is the only Cardinal with a cap hit above $20 million. Extending star tight end Trey McBride will be a priority."Jeremy Fowler

2023's offseason was simply a cleaning of house, as Ossenfort did the wise thing in stripping what was a very poorly constructed roster down to its bare bones. Though some strong talent departed the desert and sledding was tough that season in the win/loss column, it was very much an "eat your vegetables" moment for the Cardinals to build on.

Arizona had opportunity to throw some money around, though it was still too early in the Cardinals' process to make splash plays. Sure, it's easy to compare their rebuild to the likes of Houston or Washington, though Arizona very clearly had a plan and the front office deserves to be applauded for sticking to their guns.

Gannon certainly believes the Cardinals are trending in the right direction.

“Yeah, I do. We won more games this year. I do think we're on the right path, we just have to stay on it." he told reporters at his end of season press conference.

Now that we've seen what the Cardinals can be, this offseason will likely sway Arizona's overall trajectory for years down the road. Acquiring the right talent with so much cap space and draft capital can push them over the hump while fumbling such an opportunity will keep them in the mediocre category.