Josh WeinfussMar 7, 2025, 06:00 AM ET
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TEMPE, Ariz. -- When the dust settles on free agency, Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort will ask himself a question: Does he have a roster good enough to go out and play a game?
How Ossenfort can answer that question will determine his approach to next month's NFL draft.
If he thinks he does, then Ossenfort will know he doesn't have to draft for need. If he doesn't, then selecting players who fit certain roles becomes the new priority.
When the clock strikes noon ET on Monday to mark the start of the negotiating period, Ossenfort will be working with between $75 million and $80 million in cap space, the most in his three free agencies in Arizona and fourth-most in the league. There is a list of needs to address for the Cardinals to go from an 8-9 team to a playoff contender.
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Not addressing specific needs in free agency is a risky move. The right players may not be available when Arizona selects at No. 16 in the 2025 NFL draft.
"It's a balance of the roster-building of, 'Hey, where are we going to sink our resources free agency wise?'" Ossenfort said at the NFL combine. "And then that opens up possibilities in the draft to, 'Hey, whatever comes our way that's going to be in addition to our team.'
"But that's part of roster construction and we will work through that here over the next couple of weeks."
The Cardinals have 20 of their own unsigned free agents, including five offensive linemen, all of whom started at least two games for Arizona last season. That group includes both starting guards -- right guard Will Hernandez and left guard Evan Brown -- and Kelvin Beachum, the back-up swing tackle who started 11 games at both tackle spots.
Wide receivers Zach Pascal and Zay Jones are both scheduled to be free agents, as are defensive lineman L.J. Collier, linebackers Kyzir White, Dennis Gardeck and Baron Browning, and kicker Matt Prater.
Ossenfort said re-signing some of his players before free agency begins will be a priority this week and next.
"We had a lot of guys that played snaps for us this past year that provided quality depth for us that were starters," Ossenfort said. "And, so, those are things that we're going to try to work through because you never know. We're going to try to get guys signed and it takes two to do a deal. They got to make their decisions and then once we go to market, anything can happen at that point."
General manager Monti Ossenfort has a list of needs to address for the Cardinals to go from an 8-9 team to a playoff contender. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
The Cardinals will enter free agency with two significant needs -- pass rushers and defensive line. Arizona ranked 28th in pass rush run rate, with only linebacker Zaven Collins recording more than five sacks. The Cardinals also have a series of secondary priorities, according to a team source, and will look to address interior offensive linemen, inside linebackers and at least one wide receiver.
At the combine, coach Jonathan Gannon said Arizona will look to improve both of its lines this offseason.
"It's very clear it starts with the offensive and defensive line," Gannon said. "If you're that premier, it can end with the offensive and defensive line, too. It's about blocking and tackling. Those two positions impact that before anybody does. It's not hard to see when you watch football that the team that controls the line of scrimmage has a really good chance to win the game."
Arizona will have the money to spend on its needs. As the Cardinals enter the third year of a rebuild, additional cap padding will give Ossenfort the freedom to spend big on a home-run free agent, if he chooses, or play it more conservative and keep contracts more restrained but sign a higher quantity of players.
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"It gives us flexibility," Ossenfort said. "I think it gives us opportunities to see what the market is at certain positions. When you're tight up against the cap, it limits what you can do. It's just one of those things where you also have to be smart about it. You don't want to spend either. You have to make the right decisions."
Part of making those decisions is figuring out not just how the player fits schematically but also within the locker room.
Ossenfort said he's a "big fan of having information" and will use "all those avenues" to get it. If he can, he wants to ask his coaches what a potential signing is like on a day-to-day basis, what they do well and what they can improve on.
He can ask Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis about some of their former players with the Philadelphia Eagles from their times as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, respectively. Linebackers Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham and defensive lineman Milton Williams are scheduled to hit free agency.
"Anytime you have real-time experience with a player, you kind of know a little bit," Gannon said at the combine. "Free agency, just like all players, there is a little bit of unknown with all those guys. That decreases the unknown with me because I was with them for a couple of years. We'll look at all the players in free agency and see if they fit us. I know there is a money component to everything. At the end of the day, we'll do what's best for us and try to help try to acquire guys who are going to help us win."