The Cardinals continued to lay a foundation under second-year coach Jonathan Gannon, going 8–9 while being competitive throughout the 2024 NFL season. Their strength was offense, with Kyler Murray, James Conner, Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. all providing threats to a defense.
While the offense stands to be the team’s strength once more, the defense should be improved with first-round pick Walter Nolen on the line’s interior joining edge rusher Josh Sweat, who came over from the Eagles on a four-year, $76 million deal.
If Gannon can get the defense to play average football, Arizona could be a fun team fighting for a playoff spot in the NFC.
What’s at stake this season: Make the playoffs … or stall out
The Cardinals played well throughout much of 2024, starting 6–4 before faltering late, losing five of six before winning in Week 17 over the injury-riddled San Francisco 49ers.
Still, Arizona has reason to believe it’s a playoff team. The Cardinals have the talent to score points and added to all three levels of their defense in free agency and the draft. The big question is whether all those new faces will work well together, and if so, how long does it take?
The Los Angeles Rams are the NFC West favorite in many eyes, but the Cardinals have enough firepower to make it an intriguing race. There’s also the third-place schedule Arizona will face, giving it a trio of easier games (in theory, at least) over the Rams in the divisional race.
It’s time for the Cardinals to make a push with many stars in their primes, including the best players on both sides of the ball, with Murray turning 28 years old in August and safety Budda Baker at 29.
Biggest question going into training camp: Does the front seven have enough?
The Cardinals were formidable on offense last season, ranking 12th in points and seventh in yards per play. The defense was another story, checking in 25th in yards per play and 27th in pressure rate.
In an effort to fix those issues, Arizona added Sweat before drafting Nolen to start alongside a potential burgeoning star Dante Stills (more on him below).
Sweat brings talent and experience, notching 25.5 sacks and 61 quarterback hits over the past three years, with his career year of 2022 coming under Gannon’s tutelage. Then there are the auditions of defensive linemen Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell, giving Gannon’s defense more power along the line of scrimmage.
The Cardinals are better, but are the improvements enough to get Arizona back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021?
Sources are saying: Second-round CB Will Johnson
“Great kid first of all. Has to stay healthy. More of a split safety corner who likes to jump routes and has great hands.” —Former NFL defensive coordinator on Johnson
Breakout player candidate/X-factor: Dante Stills, DT
With Nolen playing alongside him, Stills could break out and become a household name. Stills racked up eight sacks and 11 quarterback hits through his first two seasons, playing 54 and 52% of the snaps, respectively. A sixth-round pick in 2023, Stills has been a nice find and might be the next star defensive tackle in a league exploding with them in recent years.
Head coach-quarterback ranking: 19th
Gannon’s Cardinals were surprisingly competitive last year, winning eight games after only four victories in 2023. After what appears to be a solid draft combined with the offseason signing of Sweat, Arizona could contend for a playoff berth. To that point, Murray flourished in his first season under coordinator Drew Petzing, throwing for 3,851 yards and 21 touchdowns while completing 68.8% of his attempts.
Fantasy pick: Marvin Harrison Jr.
I was wrong about Harrison Jr. last season, as I expected him to break out as a rookie. Unfortunately, he was inconsistent and finished 30th in PPR fantasy points among wide receivers. I’m not jumping ship, though, as even his father, Marvin Sr., wasn’t a star as a rookie. With one season of NFL experience now under his belt and no significant additions to the passing game in the offseason, Harrison Jr. is in a good position to make a leap. He should be considered a fourth- or fifth-round selection. —Michael Fabiano
Best bet: Under 8.5 wins (-110) via DraftKings
I’m out on Murray, which means I’m out on the Cardinals. He has failed to take the next step as a quarterback, annually starting the season off strong and then faltering as the season gets into November and December. The Cardinals did little in the offseason to expect any improvement from their 2024 record of 8-9. With the San Francisco 49ers expected to bounce back, Arizona is the clear third-best team in the NFC West. —Iain MacMillan
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 32 Teams in 32 Days: Cardinals Have Reason to Believe They’re Playoff Bound.