The Arizona Cardinals have yet to make the playoffs in two years with Jonathan Gannon as head coach but improved on their win total by four games in 2024. As they look to continue building in the right direction, the Cardinals enter a pivotal offseason with significant capital in free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
With 19 players hitting unrestricted free agency, the Cardinals will have the fourth-most cap space in the league with $77.9 million to spare, per Over The Cap. While clearly still in rebuilding mode, the upcoming free agency window will be the most important of general manager Monti Ossenfort’s tenure.
As they continue to build around young stars Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. offensively, Ossenfort has the unenviable task of choosing the direction he wishes to take the team. Quarterback Kyler Murray continues to be involved in trade rumors, while three starting offensive linemen are projected to leave in free agency.
Roster needs aside, the abundance of expected departures creates a lot of holes in the team. In addition to the offensive line, nearly every key edge rusher will enter free agency. Arizona could be forced to overhaul nearly two full positional groups.
With the freedom Ossenfort will have in free agency, just a few of the right moves could instantly turn the Cardinals into playoff contenders. However, mismanaging the offseason would be equally as damaging.
DE Joey Bosa
The Cardinals desperately need pass-rushers, and Joey Bosa is the biggest name available. After nine seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, Bosa was released one week ahead of NFL free agency. As big of a splash as his signing would make, his fit in Nick Rallis’ defense would not be what the team desires.
As one of the most injury-prone players in the league, Bosa has played just 30 games over the last three years. With 23 absences in that time, he has been on the field for just 57 percent of the Chargers’ games since 2022. For a player making over $20 million in annual salary, Los Angeles paid him nearly $30 million just to stand on the sidelines.
Even without his durability concerns, Bosa is simply not a fit in Rallis’ 4-3 defense. He thrives in a blitz-heavy, 3-4 scheme that allows him to utilize his speed as an outside linebacker, which is not a setup Rallis operates in. The Cardinals experienced the failed style fit with Baron Browning in 2024, who managed just two sacks on the year.
Bosa enters free agency at 29 but is still expected to sign a lucrative deal with his next team. Though diminished, his talent is still there in spurts. The Cardinals just cannot be the team to fall into the trap. If they were to sign him, it would take a significant portion of their cap space, effectively limiting them for the remainder of free agency.
With Browning, Dennis Gardeck, Jesse Luketa and L.J. Collier all hitting free agency, Arizona cannot end the offseason without adding pass-rushers to its roster. The answer just cannot be Bosa, as tempting as it might be.
WR Amari Cooper
Whether or not they keep Murray, the Cardinals need to add receivers to their pass-catching unit in the offseason. The dry unit offered little depth behind Harrison and McBride in 2024, with no other player recording over 550 receiving yards. Even with Harrison’s expected second-year leap, Arizona needs at least one more substantial weapon to its offense.
The wide receiver market is not as deep as some others but still includes several big-name targets. Among them, Amari Cooper hits free agency after spending the second half of 2024 with the Buffalo Bills. Cooper, 30, is still one of the better available options, but he cannot be the veteran Ossenfort chooses.
With his 31st birthday coming up in June, Cooper is preparing for his 11th professional season. Many elite receivers have played admirably into their thirties, but Cooper’s athletic decline caused a significant statistical drop-off in 2024. After posting 1,250 receiving yards in 2023, he mustered just 547 yards in his 10th year.
Early in the year, the blame for his lack of success was immediately placed on DeShaun Watson. Yet, even after his trade to the Buffalo Bills, Cooper remained silent and worked behind Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir as Josh Allen’s third option. Cooper’s hands are still there, but the crisp route running that previously separated him has not been with him lately. His comments on his declining role late in the year seemingly indicate his acknowledgment of the end of his prime.
With Michael Wilson returning with Harrison in 2025, the Cardinals do not need to add another sure-handed wideout to the group. Instead, they would benefit the most from adding a high-level slot receiver or dynamic deep threat to open up Murray’s options in the offense.
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