It’s game week in Arizona, and that alone changes the temperature around everything the Cardinals have left to sort out.
The regular season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers is here, and after an offseason full of turnover, general manager Monti Ossenfort still has a few loose ends to tie up before Sunday. Some of them are football decisions.
One of them is a business decision. And one is the kind of roster call that can shape the rest of the year.
The biggest issue sits on the defensive side. Arizona spent the offseason patching holes there instead of adding real juice, and that leaves the pass rush looking awfully familiar - and not in a good way.
Josh Sweat can only carry so much of that load, even if he’s still the best bet in the room. Beyond him, the rest of the outside linebacker group doesn’t exactly inspire much confidence when it comes to getting after the quarterback.
The Cardinals are banking on a healthy Walter Nolen III to help change that picture, which makes sense. But relying on Darius Robinson, Zaven Collins and the rest to consistently pressure the quarterback is a shaky plan. Arizona has the cap space to do something about it, and the move is obvious: go get a veteran on a one-year deal and strengthen one of the weakest spots on the roster.
Another situation worth watching is Paris Johnson Jr. and his next contract. Arizona just handed receiver Michael Wilson a big three-year deal, the first second contract for a player drafted by Ossenfort, and Johnson is now the next major negotiation in line.
The two sides don’t appear close, either. Johnson wants a high number.
The Cardinals are aiming lower and hoping to land somewhere in the middle.
That delay could end up costing Arizona more if the talks drag on. Johnson is already under contract through the 2027 season because of the fifth-year option, so the team has time.
But the longer a deal waits, the more the price can climb. Johnson is viewed as the left tackle of the future, and getting something done now might sting in the moment while looking far more manageable a few years down the road as the salary cap keeps rising.
Then there’s the running back situation, which has become one of the more interesting stories in the desert. Right now, Arizona lists Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier and Bam Knight as active backs, while James Conner and Trey Benson are on injured reserve.
Benson’s path feels pretty clear. He’ll remain on IR for the rest of the year until he and the Cardinals work out an injury settlement, which looks likely.
Conner is a tougher call, even if the signs have been pointing in one direction for a while. The veteran’s future has been a constant topic since the summer, and his move to injured reserve only pushed that conversation into the background for the moment.
The Cardinals already sent a message by restructuring his contract before the offseason, especially with Love and Allgeier added to the mix. Conner dealt with a foot/ankle injury in Week 3 last season, worked individual drills during camp and didn’t appear in any preseason games. LaFleur said that Conner has earned the right to tell the Cardinals when his body feels ready.
Now Arizona has to decide what comes next. Four running backs on the active roster?
A return for Conner that could leave Bam Knight exposed to waivers? A release or even a trade?
There’s still time for things to shift, but the Cardinals need to choose the best path for both Conner and the organization now, not later.
In Other News...
Cardinals Face One Huge Question In Their New Coachs First Season
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The bigger question is whether the new regime can settle the quarterback conversation quickly enough to give LaFleur a real runway in his first season. Around the league, other teams are dealing with their own coaching and quarterback uncertainties, including Atlantas situation with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, but for Arizona, the next step has to start with clarity under center before anything else can take hold. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Wilsons Cardinals Extension Isnt Quite What It First Seemed
Michael Wilsons new deal with the Cardinals gives Arizona a longer runway with one of its young receiving pieces, and on the surface it looks like the kind of extension that signals real faith in a players future. The contract was structured with a signing bonus, base salaries, roster bonuses and escalators, giving the team a way to manage the cap while keeping a promising receiver tied to the roster well beyond the current setup.
A closer look, though, shows why these extensions can be more layered than the first headline suggests. The money is substantial, but the protection in the agreement is concentrated early, which leaves the later seasons built more as team options than ironclad commitments. For a Cardinals front office trying to balance flexibility with keeping young talent in place, that kind of structure says as much about planning for the future as it does about rewarding what Wilson has already shown. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Wilson Just Gave Cardinals Fans A Real Reason To Believe
Michael Wilsons standing in Arizona took another step forward this week, and not just because he has become one of the more trusted young pieces on the roster. In a media interview, Wilson talked about his appreciation for the organization and made clear how much the state and the fan base have come to mean to him, a telling sign from a player who has steadily grown into a bigger role with the Cardinals.
Wilson also said he wants to be part of something larger than individual production, emphasizing his commitment to working hard for the team and helping push the franchise toward contention. For a Cardinals group trying to build a more stable future, that kind of voice matters, especially when it comes from someone who already feels connected to Arizona and the direction the team wants to go. [Read more 🡒]