How Good Can Arizona Cardinals Defense Be?

Will the Arizona Cardinals' defense take a step forward in 2025? We will certainly be hoping so with fresh expectations on making the playoffs.

The Cardinals put together quite an impressive year two under Jonathan Gannon, flirting with the playoffs for majority of the season and severely surpassing any and all expectations. The team was exposed by the end of the year, however.

The Cardinals got the most out of a defense that didn’t stack up against some of the better units across the league, but exceptional coaching helped get the most out of guys and in some cases make them even better.

That shouldn’t be the case this season following a heavy investment to that side of the football, both financially and through the draft.

Players like Josh Sweat, Calais Campbell, Walter Nolen, Will Johnson, and several others were introduced to the team this offseason. They joined some key returners like Budda Baker and Garrett Williams on top of a coaching staff led by DC Nick Rallis to what should be a much improved squad in 2025.

I’m going to attempt to predict the Cardinals’ team production in sacks and turnovers along with their placement in the league as an overall unit. We will cap it off with some stat leaders and other superlatives.

We’ll get started with the most obvious area fans will be looking to see improve improvement from — sacks.

Projecting Cardinals 2025 Defensive Stats

Sacks

High: 45

Low: 35

I truly don’t see any way this defense doesn’t become significantly more successful in sacking the quarterback next season. Not only did Arizona make stellar additions to increase that production, but the coaching staff dialed up a terrific pass rush without elite players last year.

Josh Sweat’s addition gives the Cardinals a legitimate top pass rusher to get after quarterbacks. Baron Browning is an underrated re-signing and perhaps a healthy BJ Ojulari can help boost the room. Any production from rookie Jordan Burch is welcomed, too.

The defensive line added Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency along with Walter Nolan in the draft to beef up the room.

That group should put Arizona in a significantly better position to rack ups. Instead of having to manufacture the pass rush and get creative, the defense can pin its ears back and count on designated rushers to do their job.

I won’t say the room suddenly becomes the best in the league, but it will be much more consistent and reliable.

Interceptions

High: 15

Low: 7

I believe the Cardinals will be more opportunistic than they were last year after recording just nine interceptions as a team. A big part of this will be thanks to a revitalized pass rush. If Arizona can get after the quarterback more effectively next season, the turnovers will come.

The secondary didn’t need many changes and is mostly the same from last year albeit with one major addition: Will Johnson. The Michigan product brings excellent ball skills to the backend of the defense and can help generate turnovers by himself.

Another year of growth for players like Garrett Williams and Max Melton should also contribute to more production.

I do expect an uptick in sack production, but the defense only has one threatening ball hawk right now with Johnson. Until they can get at least one other player to contribute to turnover production, I believe they’ll be in the middle of the league in that department.

Total defense

Best: 10th

Worst: 16th

Talent? Check. Coaching? Check. Results? To be determined.

There won’t be much that can stop this defense next season besides themselves. There are Pro Bowl caliber players littered throughout every level of the field, ranging from veterans to youngsters, and superstars to “best kept secrets.”

The coaching staff is ridiculous, too. Nick Rallis will be an NFL head coach one day, but until then he’s one of the best young defensive minds in the league. And with Gannon at the helm, the unit should always be able to overachieve.

By years end, I believe more people will be talking about how great this defense is and not just us. Even in a worst case scenario, I simply don’t see them being worse than average.

Sack leader: Josh Sweat

Sleeper: Dante Stills

Sweat is the easy choice here considering he’s one of the most underrated pass rushers across the league. He’s posted great production over the last several years with Philadelphia and his reuniting with Jonathan Gannon, who coached him to his only career Pro Bow, should be able to take this pass rush to the next level.

Don’t sleep on Stills, however. The third year man quietly led the team in sacks last year and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Leader: Will Johnson

Sleeper: Jalen Thompson

Johnson has the best ball skills on the team and he hasn’t even taken a snap yet. I doubt it will take long for him to find the field, let alone cause havoc and turnovers.

I had a hard time deciding who my sleeper pick would be to lead the team in interceptions, but I ultimately landed on the stud free safety Thompson.

Be prepared for a reminder of how good Budda Baker's running mate is.

Team DPOY: Budda Baker

I don’t think this needs too much explanation, but for what it’s worth I’m predicting a stellar year from Baker. We’ve seen several great seasons out of the franchise legend, and I think 2025 could be his best statistical year yet. Turnovers haven’t come in bunches for Baker, but something tells me that changes this year.

Best offseason addition: Josh Sweat/Calais Campbell

I’ll admit to being a politician here and refusing to pick one over the other — and I don’t plan to apologize for it either.

Sweat is an easy prediction to lead the team in sacks, and that alone would make him the biggest success of the offseason considering it was the team’s greatest need.

I anticipate Campbell will have a great season in his own right as a Mr. Do-It-All type guy. Their combined efforts will prove how smart of a decision it was to bring them each end.

Sleeper agent: Dadrion Taylor-Demerson

Something tells me Rabbit is going to be a much bigger threat than many realize for this upcoming season. This defense should be able to give him plenty to do and he could find several new roles following departures of some important players like Kyzir White.

The Cardinals should be able to make the most of a versatile, athletic player like Taylor-Demerson and turn him into a secret weapon of sorts.