NFL Rankings: Arizona Cardinals Have Top 10 Secondary

The NFL is a pass-happy league, which means you better be able to defend the ball when it's in the air.

There are many stud defensive backfields in the league to hold up their end of the bargain along with several elite cornerbacks and versatile safeties that help defenses keep up with those high-powered passing attacks.

Of course, not all secondaries are created equal and the difference from number one to number 32 is astronomical — Perhaps the largest differential when you rank best to worst for any unit/position in the NFL. However, the top 10 secondaries in the league aren’t as far off as you may think.

While there certainly is a top-tier in this department, with numbers one, two, and three seemingly interchangeable, the 10 best secondaries in the league truly do stand out and contain elite players.

The Arizona Cardinals host one of those secondaries.

We’re going to take a look at the 10 best defensive backfields in the league, as I don’t feel it necessary to assess the aforementioned drop off, but rather focus on how many great secondaries there are in the NFL.

Obviously, we will start with the top three secondaries, which truly could be placed in whatever order you would like.

1. Baltimore Ravens

CB: Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, Jaire Alexander

SAF: Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks

Genuine question – how do you plan to throw in the secondary? Alexander’s addition to a corner room with Humphrey, Wiggins, and Awuzie gives the Ravens one of the best rooms you will find with an elite safety duo of Hamilton and Starks, who could be the league’s top two in short order. 

2. Denver Broncos

CB: Patrick Surtain II, Jahdae Barron, Riley Moss

SAF: Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones

The Broncos host another secondary that will be insanely difficult to throw on. The Defensive Player of the Year is one of the best cover men of this decade, with Barron and Moss combining for an elite trio. Hufanga and Jones are a criminally underrated safety duo.

3. Houston Texans

CB: Derek Stingley Jr, Kamari Lassiter, CJ Gardner-Johnson

SAF: Jalen Pitre, Calen Bullock

I spy with my little eye… Another near flawless secondary. Stingley and Lassiter is perhaps the best corner duo in the league. Petrie and Bullock are also a terrific safety combo, while Gardner-Johnson can play wherever he would like.

4. Detroit Lions

CB: DJ Reed, Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw Jr

SAF: Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph

Reed’s addition to the secondary provides a big boost to corner back. He should be a great influence on Arnold and Rakestraw. Meanwhile, Branch and Joseph are the league's best safety duo until further notice.

5. Seattle Seahawks

CB: Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe

SAF: Julian Love, Coby Bryant

Witherspoon could play outside if the team wanted, but instead he plays nickel and is amongst the best the league has to offer. Woolen and Jobe round out that corner room. Love and Bryant are a super underrated safety combo. 

6. Arizona Cardinals

CB: Garrett Williams, Will Johnson, Starling Thomas V

SAF: Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson

The Cardinals' secondary is going to surprise a lot of people this year. Williams is another ace nickel corner, and Johnson, Thomas, and Max Melton present great outside players. Baker is an elite safety, and Thompson is above average. 

7. Philadelphia Eagles

CB: Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo

SAF: Reed Blankenship, Andrew Mukuba

The Eagles are all-in on their youth movement. Mitchell and DeJean are second year guys. Ringo enters year three, Blankenship is in his fourth, and Mukuba is a rookie. And yet, this group is fierce. By year’s end, they could be higher. 

8. Dallas Cowboys

CB: Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Tre Brown

SAF: Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson

There’s a ton of turnover potential in the secondary. Both Diggs and Bland have led the league in pics before, and Hooker is no slouch himself. Wilson is also an underrated DB. Brown is the lone question mark here, but I’m not overly concerned.

9. Buffalo Bills

CB: Christian Benford, Taron Johnson, Maxwell Hairston

SAF: Damar Hamlin, Taylor Rapp

The Bills also have a young secondary like the Eagles, but it’s much more potential than proven players. Benford was a best-kept secret in 2024 and earned a nice paycheck. Johnson is also a stud, and Hairston will have expectations as a first round pick. Hamlin and Rapp are solid at safety, but don’t forget about Cole Bishop.

10. New England Patriots

CB: Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones

SAF: Jabrill Peppers, Kyle Dugger

Gonzalez is a superstar, but no one knows it yet — That should change by the end of the year. Davis was a terrific free agent signing, and Jones can hold his own. Peppers should be back this year to lineup opposite Dugger; Those two are insanely underrated.

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