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The Arizona Cardinals' defense is nearly unrecognizable from the bottom-tier unit it was just two seasons ago. In fact, heading into 2024, the expectation was the Cardinals would have to win shootouts with a high-powered offense if they wanted to contend.
That was anything but the case in the 2024 season. Arizona's defense did rank 21st in total yardage allowed, but the offense ranked 18th in passing production. While they did bank much of their success on the run game, there was little in the way of explosiveness from the offensive side of the football.
But now, heading into the 2025 season. The outlook is much different. Though there are certainly expectations the offense can rebound, it's the Cardinals' defense that stands out as a potential team strength, not long after that group looked nearly unfit to even compete with NFL teams.
But more specifically, Arizona's secondary could see a surprisingly large flip.
For one, the Cardinals grabbed an immediate starting-caliber CB in Will Johnson in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He's a refined prospect out of a national championship college program, and could even compete for postseason awards if he remains healthy.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals have a young corps of DB's led by veteran Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker. The already-elite Garrett Williams should continue locking down the slot, while Max Melton, Starling Thomas V and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson continue to develop into the type of player head coach Jonathan Gannon truly loves.
On top of the fact that these young players have high ceilings, there's another factor to think about. Arizona's defensive line is the most improved unit of any from a talent acquisition perspective.
A deadly pass rush works wonders for even a struggling secondary, and if the Cardinals' young DB's do showcase any amount of true progress, they could slowly find themselves turning into not only a team strength, but an elite group of players.
It will ultimately come down to performance and consistency. Arizona's defense consistently did more with less in 2024, but also faltered on occasion.
The frequency of truly bad defensive performances should decrease with the added talent, and a raw young group of CB's and safeties might find a whole lot more confidence in the 2025 season.
More must-reads:
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- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
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Vikings WR gets brutal injury news for second straight season
A Minnesota Vikings wide receiver's season is already over. The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday that wide receiver Rondale Moore is being placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a leg injury that he suffered in the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans this past weekend. It is a devastating blow for Moore, who is now being sidelined for an entire season, before it even begins, for the second year in a row. Moore signed a one-year, $2 million contract in free agency with the Vikings this offseason in the hopes he could return from a different injury that cost him the entirety of the 2024 season. Moore was a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 after being acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for backup quarterback Desmond Ridder. This is now two different teams that Moore has been a part of, but will never play a game for them due to injuries. Moore was injured while returning a punt. He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, catching 135 passes for 1,201 yards over three seasons before being traded. He was never going to be counted on to be a key contributor for the Vikings offense this season, especially given the superstars they already have at wide receiver in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he still had a chance to be an interesting depth player. Now it is fair to wonder what the rest of his career might even look like. Missing two full seasons due to two different leg injuries is going to be a brutal thing to try to come back from. Missing two seasons for any reason is difficult, but when you add the leg injuries to the equation, it makes the obstacle even steeper.
Landon Dickerson injury update: Timeline for Eagles OL return revealed after surgery
The Philadelphia Eagles lost a key piece of their offense in training camp when starting center Landon Dickerson went down with a knee injury. Now, he has reportedly undergone surgery on Wednesday, August 13th, for the meniscus injury that he suffered. There is positive news in all of this for the Eagles, though. The injury could have been worse. Dickerson avoided what would be considered a major injury. Because of that, there is hope that he can return to the field sometime early in the season. For now, no return to action is set in stone. After all, everyone recovers from injuries and surgeries at a different speed. Naturally, the Eagles are also going to be careful to prevent any further injury, but it’s good news for the defending Super Bowl champions overall. Previously, it was reported that Dickerson would be considered week-to-week with the injury. The surgery was also described as a “minor procedure,” going into it, and there had been some hope that he could even be ready to go in Week 1. Landon Dickerson was carted off the field from practice on Sunday night. The immediate concern was that he suffered an injury to his right meniscus. This was during an open practice, and it tempered the atmosphere inside the facility while Philadelphia prepped for the season. Dickerson first came to Philadelphia as a second round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. That came after he had been a star in the college game at Alabama. Since getting to professional football, Dickerson has been named to the Pro Bowl three times and was the starting center on last year’s Super Bowl winning team. He moved to center from guard following the retirement of Jason Kelce, a longtime star in his own right. Dickerson signed a four-year, $84 million contract extension with the Eagles in March of 2024. At the time, it made him the highest-paid guard in history. It also signaled the time for him to step into a larger leadership role on the offense. The Philadelphia Eagles are going into the 2025 season looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions. They’ll open that defense on September 4th for their Week 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys, a division rival. Before that, the Eagles do have two more preseason games, neither of which Landon Dickerson is expected to play in at all. Philadelphia won’t have its bye week until Week 9.
King of New York: Pete Alonso breaks major Mets all-time record
Pete Alonso is now the New York Mets' all-time home run king. With his opposite-field, two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night, Alonso clubbed the 253rd and 254th home runs of his Mets career, moving him into sole possession of first place on the team's all-time list. He moved two home runs ahead of the previous record-holder, Darryl Strawberry, who hit 252 home runs with the team between the 1983 and 1990 seasons. Here is a look at his record-setting home run. Later in the bottom of the sixth inning, Alonso hit his 254th home run: Along with the all-time Mets home run lead, Alonso is also the Mets' single-season home run leader with 53 home runs during the 2019 season. Strawberry congratulated Alonso on breaking his record: His home runs on Tuesday were his 27th and 28th of the season. It is a big deal for Alonso because there was some doubt this past offseason about whether he would have a chance to set this record. Even though he was close, the uncertainty around his future, given his free-agent status, created a lot of questions about where he would play. Ultimately, the Mets re-signed him to a two-year, $54 million contract that includes an opt-out clause following the 2025 season. That opt-out will again create some uncertainty about his future, but it is pretty clear Alonso still has a lot of power left in his bat. Whether he returns to the Mets or goes somewhere else, he will remain the franchise's greatest home run hitter for the foreseeable future. He is now on top of the record books for the single season and career.
Packers HC Matt LaFleur sounds alarm on injury situation
The Green Bay Packers added two more pass-catchers to their injury list following Tuesday's practice, as a troubling trend continues in Wisconsin. Per The Athletic's Matt Schneidman, head coach Matt LaFleur shook his head yes but said "no" when asked if he had considered cancelling the Packers' joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday. The answer came moments after tight end Luke Musgrave and wide receiver Romeo Doubs were injured at practice. LaFleur is concerned about the ailments that have affected his first-team offense and defense during training camp this summer. “No, I don’t,” LaFleur responded to a question about whether he feels good about the Packers' health. “Right now, I don’t. We’re missing a lot of key players that are integral to our success as a football team. It is what it is. It’s an opportunity for some other guys, but we definitely had some injuries strike up at some positions where it’s made us pretty thin.” On Tuesday, Green Bay revealed that quarterback Jordan Love was having surgery on his left thumb for an injury he suffered during Saturday's 30-10 loss to the New York Jets. He's expected to return next week and face the Detroit Lions in Week 1. The Packers also hope All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney (calf) can return alongside cornerback Nate Hobbs (meniscus) for Week 1. Per Schniedman, Hobbs was still limping in the locker room on Wednesday. Green Bay was already missing Christian Watson at training camp, as the receiver rehabs from an ACL injury that occurred against the Chicago Bears in January. The Packers believe Watson will begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list before returning sometime midseason. LaFleur should be worried about having a substantial part of his roster missing the preseason. Fortunately, the injuries were dealt with early in August, and players like Hobbs and Love should be healthy for September. The issue is that Green Bay doesn't need more injuries to accumulate in the preseason before an 18-week regular season, and potentially the playoffs. LaFleur and Packers fans have a reason to hold their breath at joint practice this week.
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