The Arizona Cardinals continue to trend upward under the current regime headed by general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon.
After a 4-13 record in Year 1 — narrowly missing the projected 4.5-game win total — Arizona took a hearty step forward last year by doubling its victories behind an 8-9 mark.
The Cardinals also managed to successfully surpass the 6.5-game win total in the process.
And with that success, paired with a strong free agency class, the waterline is that much higher for Arizona in 2025.
As of Friday, Fan Duel and other sportsbooks have the Cardinals’ win total at 8.5, a full two-game improvement from last year.
Draft Kings sportsbook and ESPN BET also listed 8.5 wins for Arizona, though ESPN’s Mike Clay projects that number at 8.9 in his analytical model.
Among the biggest positional boosts Clay gave the Cardinals was at safety and tight end. Safety received Arizona’s highest grade of nine out of 10, while tight end was given an eight.
The factors behind the Cardinals’ bump in projected win total
Arizona has taken noticeable steps under Ossenfort and Gannon since 2023.
The offense’s identity is solidified as a run-first unit behind James Conner, while defensive coordinator Nick Rallis is quickly rising up the ranks as a coach to watch thanks to his creative scheme.
But it’s likely what Arizona did away from the field this offseason that has those around the league expecting more out of the franchise.
Arizona inked premium free agents Josh Sweat and Dalvin Tomlinson to long-term deals. Their additions help address glaring needs along the defensive line and should give the unit a boost as a whole.
Arizona’s addition of Jacoby Brissett could end up being the most underrated, though.
Given his time with Petzing and quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork in Cleveland, Brissett enters Arizona’s QBs room with plenty of knowledge on the offense.
His experience running the show under Petzing plus his time elsewhere could come in handy when it comes to helping Kyler Murray take that next step within the system. Or if Murray were to get hurt.
There’s something to be said about some of Arizona’s re-signings, too. Pass rusher Baron Browning and guard Evan Brown figure to be big contributors this year, while Kelvin Beachum and L.J. Collier provide solid depth within the trenches.
Speaking of Murray, a lot is riding on the signal caller to continue his trend upward on top of making his and the team’s second-half-of-the-season collapses a thing of the past.
Arizona still projected to finish last in NFC West
Despite the increased win total projection for Arizona, it still has a way to go when it comes to winning the division, according to Fan Duel, Draft Kings and BetMGM sportsbooks.
They all project Arizona to finish last in the NFC West.
Meanwhile, all have the San Francisco 49ers taking the division, followed by the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.
ESPN BET isn’t much better. The 49ers and Rams still sit ahead of the Cardinals, with Arizona and Seattle bringing up the rear with the same odds.
The projections for the Rams and Seahawks don’t seem too far off given what each did this offseason. The 49ers’ standing at the top? That one seems like a bit of a reach, given the amount of talent that left the Bay Area this offseason.
Tight end Luke Farrell was San Francisco’s biggest free-agent add, while trading away wide receiver Deebo Samuel and losing other starters doesn’t seem like a recipe for taking the NFC West.