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Arizona Cardinals 2025 NFL Season Preview

[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 NFL Preview Magazine.Order your copy today online or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]

Every team feels optimistic during the offseason, but for Cardinals fans, the excitement is well founded. Since head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort took over in 2023, there has been steady growth. The first step was to develop an identity and culture. Check. Then, they had to comb through and reshape the roster. Also check.

The third season is when the grace period for a new regime subsides. Optimism is great, but it can only take a team — and a fan base that has eagerly awaited a deep playoff run for nearly a decade — so far.

More NFL team previews

AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Jets | Patriots

AFC North:Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers

AFC South:Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans

AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders

NFC East:Commanders | Cowboys | Eagles | Giants

NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings

NFC South: Buccaneers | Falcons | Panthers | Saints

NFC West: 49ers | Cardinals | Rams | Seahawks

Offense

The Cardinals are largely running it back offensively in 2025. It was a quiet free agency, as the unit did not receive any major upgrades. However, just because the players are mostly the same, it doesn’t mean the offense will have the same results as in 2024.

Quarterback Kyler Murray remains at the center of the conversation. Truthfully, there is no player more exciting to watch when he is in a zone than the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Fans react to Marvin Harrison Jr.'s first career touchdown in the NFL.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

Murray admitted after the 2024 season that his knee was still affecting him, which could explain his career-low 4.6 rushes per game. Now two years removed from his surgery, Murray must use his dual-threat ability to open up the offense more. He has weapons galore.

Following back-to-back 1,000-plus-yard rushing seasons, James Conner, 30, keeps defying the stereotype surrounding running backs. The Cardinals had 73 rushes of longer than 10 yards, fourth-most in the league. With the majority of the offensive line returning intact and left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. playing the same position in consecutive seasons for the first time since high school, the Cardinals are hoping for more rushing success.

The Cardinals love their tight ends, playing in 12 or 13 personnel on 47% of their offensive snaps. Fourth-year tight end Trey McBride briefly became the highest-paid tight end in NFL history before George Kittle passed him by $100,000. McBride became a Pro Bowler in 2024 with 1,146 yards on 111 receptions. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing needs to create plays to get the tight ends into the end zone more often than last season. McBride set the NFL record for most receptions (97) before scoring a touchdown.

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. showed flashes during his rookie season, ending with 885 yards and tying the franchise rookie record shared by Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin with eight touchdowns. Still, it was clear that Harrison and Murray were not always on the same page. That connection will need to sharpen in 2025, particularly on designed routes for Harrison and on off-schedule plays. Harrison reportedly gained muscle during the offseason, which will be beneficial in 50-50 situations. There were moments when he’d catch with his chest and allow defenders to swat it away rather than catching with his hands.

Defense

The happiest person in the Cardinals facility must be defensive coordinator Nick Rallis after a front seven overhaul in free agency. The Cardinals signed premier edge rusher Josh Sweat, whose best seasons came when Gannon was his defensive coordinator in Philadelphia. Sweat had a career-high 11 sacks in 2022 and a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. Philly’s disruptive defensive line was instrumental in Sweat’s success, and it’s something Rallis is looking to replicate.

With a similar blueprint, Ossenfort heavily invested in revamping the defensive line room, signing Dalvin Tomlinson and 18-year veteran Calais Campbell. They’ll be monumental, not only on the field but also for the development of 2025 first-rounder Walter Nolen III and 2024 first-rounder Darius Robinson. Nolen joins the Cards after an All-America campaign at Ole Miss.

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) reacts in the first half against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium.

Budda Baker

Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Rallis prefers a rotation with the front seven to keep the big guys fresh. With a crowded defensive line and outside linebacker room, the challenge becomes divvying up snap totals and deciding how often to blitz. Sweat headlines the outside linebackers unit, which also includes Baron Browning, BJ Ojulari (coming off an ACL tear) and Zaven Collins. Potentially shifting to a 4-3 defense would allow more bodies to clog the lanes, clearing the way for Sweat and Co. to come off the edge.

The secondary is Gannon’s specialty, and the addition of Will Johnson in the draft could be a steal. Johnson had first-round grades, but injury concerns contributed to his slide into the second round. If healthy, he is the perfect cornerback to start on the outside. He’ll compete with Starling Thomas V and 2024 second-rounder Max Melton to start opposite Sean Murphy-Bunting. Garrett Williams is also a rising star as a lockdown nickel cornerback.

Inside linebacker is the biggest unknown. With Kyzir White gone, there’s a hole at Mike linebacker. Fourth-rounder Cody Simon ran the show at Ohio State and is a candidate for the role, as are Mack Wilson Sr. and Akeem Davis-Gaither. It’s an important position in Rallis’ defense, one that features plenty of disguises.

Whether he’s deep in coverage or blitzing at the line of scrimmage, Budda Baker continues to deploy in multiple facets. He had the most tackles by a safety last season with 164, a total that ranked second in the NFL. His production remains prodigious, and his locker room presence is as valuable as ever.

Specialists

Placekicker Chad Ryland is a reason why the Cardinals were in the playoff conversation in 2024. In his first game with Arizona, Ryland nailed the game-winner against the 49ers. He’d end October as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month after two more game-winning kicks against the Dolphins and Chargers. With the 2023 fourth-rounder’s competitiveness and clutch genes in mind, the Cardinals stuck with him. The key for Ryland is consistency, a trait he struggled with in New England.

Gannon calls punter Blake Gillikin a “weapon.” Gillikin was having a Pro Bowl-caliber season before an ankle injury prematurely ended his campaign. He was a game-changer for the Cardinals, with 19 of his 38 punts landing inside the 20-yard line.

The Cardinals signed DeeJay Dallas to return kicks, and after scoring the first kickoff return TD under the new format in 2024, he is an important special teams piece, as is Greg Dortch, who will return punts.

Final Analysis

The Cardinals were left with a bitter taste after falling out of first place in the division. Thanks to an improved defense, the NFC West is there for the taking. However, it comes down to consistency. Murray needs to be more balanced between the run and pass, generating a downfield passing attack and incorporating Harrison more effectively. Defensively, the Cardinals have an established edge rusher and interior line to cause problems. Playing against most other third-place teams throughout the league, the Cardinals size up well against their 2025 opponents and could find themselves in the playoff hunt.