Heat Check: Which Arizona Cardinals are on Hot Seat?

After previously discussing Arizona Cardinals who may be on the hot seat this upcoming season on our most recent podcast, I decided to delve in a bit more with guys who I personally believe are/should be under the most pressure for this year.

It's never a fun topic, but sometimes it needs to be had. For a Cardinals team that is drastically ahead of schedule for its rebuild, expectations have begun to rise -- quicker than they previously would have.

That's not a bad thing at all -- quite the contrary -- but it does mean that more will be asked of you for raising the bar.

In fairness, there are several Cardinals players and coaches who will face some kind of heat this season, but not all hot seats are created equal. I have six individuals I feel are the most important to highlight, whether it's my opinion or someone who I have seen is taking lots of flack recently.

From a scale of 1-10, going from coldest to hottest, how does that heat feel for these guys as we head into 2025?

HC Jonathan Gannon

Gannon shouldn't be facing much pressure entering 2025, but that's the nature of the beast in a "what have you done for me lately" league. Gannon doubled the Cardinals' wins from year one to two, but they went from division contenders to afterthoughts following their bye week.

There's a chance that Gannon could face a playoff-or-bust scenario by fans, but I have little worry that the organization is close to pulling the plug.

Heat check: 2/10

OC Drew Petzing

The 38-year-old offensive coordinator is being hyped up across the league as team's search for the next young, innovative offensive mind. Everyone wants that to be Petzing, but 2024 was not kind. Despite a top 15 finish in offensive production, anyone who watched the team last year knows that is a deceptive number.

Although Petzing's job security with the Cardinals may not be on the line, his future credibility across the league might be.

Heat check: 7/10

QB Kyler Murray

Murray has to get it done. The franchise is entering year seven with the former number one overall pick under center and have made the playoffs once, which resulted in a beatdown by the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams.

We can't pin everything on Murray between coaching and injuries, but seven years with the minimal success he's had is unacceptable.

Heat check: 8/10

WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

Placing a second-year player on any sort of hot seat is questionable unless they have a historically bad rookie season. Harrison did not have anything close to that, but he didn't live up to the otherworldly expectations that were placed on him.

There's pressure to build off last season, but no one will be claiming him to be a bust pending an unforeseen problem.

Heat check: 1/10

DL Darius Robinson

What I said for Harrison echoes Robinson, who missed most of last season due to injury and family tragedy. It's hard to live up to first round billing when you have those kinds of obstacles present.

There will be increased expectations for Robinson in year two, and his seat is slightly warm after all the investments that Cardinals made to their defensive front this offseason.

Heat check: 4/10

OL Jonah Williams

Believe it or not, I was once one of Williams' biggest fans, but his inconsistency and inability to stay healthy has turned me the other way. Williams was banged up for much of last season, but he still wasn't great when he was on the field.

His future in the pros, and undeniably in Arizona, will be affected by this season's performance. He has to play up to his potential, bottom line.

Heat check: 8/10