Welcome to the first stop in a seven-part look at every player on the Arizona Cardinals’ roster before training camp gets going later next week.
First-year head coach Mike LaFleur is working with a roster that stretches from clear-cut stars to players hanging onto the edge, and the deepest part of that picture is the seventh tier. It’s the biggest group in the whole breakdown, with 33 players sitting there.
The players in this tier are Trey Benson, Karson Sharar, Jayden Williams, Christian Jones, Owen Pappoe, Kei'Trel Clark, Damonic Williams, Harrison Wallace III, Elijah Culp, Cameron Robertson, Jameson Geers, Wydett Williams, Ka'ena De Cambra, Valentin Senn, Austin Keys, Zachary Carter, Jalen Brooks, Demontrey Jacobs, Kedon Slovis, Corey Kiner, Rivaldo Fairweather, Kalen King, Isaiah Oliver, Simi Fehoko, Teagan Quitoriano, Kenny Yeboah, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Bam Knight, Eku Leota, P.J. Mustipher, Jaden Davis, Bryson Green and Elliot Brown.
That’s a long list, and there are a few names in there that stand out right away. Trey Benson is the biggest one.
He’s looking at a tough path, with RB4 duties potentially on the line against Bam Knight, who is also in this tier, because Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier and James Conner are already ahead of them on the depth chart. That doesn’t mean Benson is in cut territory, but it does mean he has work to do.
Kedon Slovis is in a tricky spot too after Arizona added Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck this offseason. For Slovis to make the 53-man roster, he may need injuries ahead of him or something close to divine intervention. That’s not a shot at his ability - it’s just the reality of the numbers.
There are also veterans here who have already logged snaps for Arizona, including Kei'Trel Clark, Owen Pappoe and P.J. Mustipher. Even so, they could find themselves squeezed if the starters at their positions get healthy again.
The Cardinals’ final two draft picks, Karson Sharar and Jayden Williams, are in this group as well, and if they’re going to stick, special teams will have to be part of the equation. Being drafted helps, but late-round status doesn’t buy anyone much when the roster starts getting cut down.
The rest of the tier is a mix of players who have dealt with injuries, veterans who may have already reached their ceiling, and younger guys still waiting for a real shot.
There’s always room for one or two surprise stories in camp, and this group has plenty of candidates to make that kind of noise.
Next up is the sixth tier, where the focus shifts to players whose development is still unfinished.
In Other News...
Cardinals Suddenly Face A Defining QB Decision Before Week 1
Arizonas quarterback picture has turned into one of the more consequential camp stories on the roster, with the front office now tied to a young passer it clearly wants to evaluate and a veteran presence in the room to keep things from getting too thin. The Cardinals used a valuable third-round pick on Carson Beck, which tells you how seriously they view his development, and Gardner Minshew gives them an experienced fallback if the depth chart has to be adjusted.
What makes this situation so interesting is the timing. Week 1 is close enough that every practice rep starts to matter, and the Cardinals have to decide whether they want to lean into the upside of the rookie or keep playing it safer with the established options already on hand. For a team trying to map out its rebuild, the answer could shape more than just the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals QB Ranking Just Dropped And Fans Wont Like It
An analytics-based quarterback ranking for the 2026 season has put a fresh spotlight on Arizonas passing situation, and it is not the kind of attention the Cardinals were hoping for. SB Nations list leaned on a mix of offensive impact, accuracy, explosive plays, scoring, turnovers, clutch performance and a tilt factor, with the results drawn from the 2025 regular season rather than any playoff work.
The top of the chart went to Josh Allen and Drake Maye, but the more relevant part for Arizona landed much farther down the board. Jacoby Brissett and Kyler Murray were both placed in the lower half of the rankings, a reminder that the Cardinals still have plenty to prove at the games most important spot and that outside evaluators are not yet sold on how their quarterback room stacks up. [Read more 🡒]