State of the Roster - Post Draft - 2025

[RON_IN_OC]

So 3 specials.

24-26 on offense. Last two out IMO are Clayton Tune and Travis Vokolek.

25-27 on defense. Last two out IMO are LJ Collier and Dante Stills.

I just don't see Stills being cut. He's a dude on defense that coaches can point to and show his clear development in their system. He could start on a decent number of other teams. I think he can still get even better, too.

 

[kerouac9]

He could start on a decent number of other teams.

Fact check needed. He only started 10 games for THIS team.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Weren't they 15th this past season? IMO, they should be Top 10.

the defense ought to be at least middle third of the NFL, which should win them another game or two

it has the potential to be really good if: Robinson and Melton improve and Nolen and Will Johnson positively contrib

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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Sheesh

Yikes

 

[BullheadCardFan]

these are good problems to have - also makes me wonder if monti has anyone on the trading block

The Cardinals with enough depth to trade someone

Give me air

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[football karma]

Weren't they 15th this past season? IMO, they should be Top 10.

27th on expected points added/lost by the defense

 

[BirdGangThing]

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Sheesh

that's nucking futs

 

[football karma]

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Sheesh

I feel like every team in the league says "games are won up front" or something like that. Keim said stuff like that

but only a few teams actually draft like it

 

[HammerCards]

When you put it this way, WR seems to be a GLARING need.

Would like Hernandez back as well and then could see that OL being serviceable enough to be playing in games where defense doesn’t allow us to get down by too much. Play to their strengths of running the ball.

 

[HammerCards]

Don’t see any reason we would keep SMB on this roster.

 

[HammerCards]

Absolutely love the competition on defense.

 

[Harry]

Xavier Thomas sucks. Give me Ojilari a hundred times over him, at least he looked like a real NFL player when he was playing.

That’s fine if he can’t stay healthy.

 

[Harry]

Don’t see any reason we would keep SMB on this roster.

Dead money

 

[Harry]

Please name five times Blount made a difference last season across his 256 special teams snaps.

I can’t give you specifics, but my impression is 5 would be an understatement

 

[kerouac9]

Dead money

Correct. His 2025 base salary is guaranteed.

 

[Chopper0080]

Dead money

Which means you could trade him but not cut him. (in theory, not saying teams would want to trade for SMB)

 

[Harry]

Which means you could trade him but not cut him. (in theory, not saying teams would want to trade for SMB)

You’re right. Often most of the earnings are in the form of bonuses. In SMB’s case, it’s salary. So they could trade him with limited exposure if they could find a team willing to pay him $8 mil salary.

 

[kerouac9]

I can’t give you specifics, but my impression is 5 would be an understatement

Well then it should be easy to name 5, right?

BTW he had 5 total tackles and three solo tackles in 2025. Huge difference-maker.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Cardinals are going to put good young talent on the PS. Rules for practice squad players are interesting, but even the Cards did not still players the last. Few years. I like some of the cards past coaches, Green Wis, Arenas but they did not develope. When JD came in he said he develops , that's what he will do. Cardinals are in a better place now then anytime I can remember. It's a game of inches so we will see if they win. But the odds are better

 

[kerouac9]

Cardinals are going to put good young talent on the PS. Rules for practice squad players are interesting, but even the Cards did not still players the last. Few years. I like some of the cards past coaches, Green Wis, Arenas but they did not develope. When JD came in he said he develops , that's what he will do. Cardinals are in a better place now then anytime I can remember. It's a game of inches so we will see if they win. But the odds are better

Better than the season they finished 10-6 and missed the playoffs?

 

[BurqueCardFan]

I think you can get Joey Blount to the practice squad and keep arguably your best IDL from 2024 in Dante Stills.

Both Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols are locked into a roster spot. Oof.

Agreed. Cutting Dante Stills would be the most Cardinals-esqe thing to do. Getting rid of your best d lineman from the previous year

 

[Carolinacacti]

Better than the season they finished 10-6 and missed the playoffs?

If they win 10 games this year I'm a winner

 

[kerouac9]

If they win 10 games this year I'm a winner

The next season the Cards went 11-5.

 

[BritCard]

Yes, he did. And the fact that you and chopper draw a complete blank on it should be a clue as to how well he played.

Jones is certainly one of the oddest decisions from Monti, and I had no idea he's a 25 year old rookie. I had forgotten he was even on the team before the offseason...you'd like to get something out of a top 90 player.

We're talking about Elijah Jones. It's right there in the original post and response.

 

[BritCard]

Which means you could trade him but not cut him. (in theory, not saying teams would want to trade for SMB)

Teams would absolutely want to trade for SMB.

Teams send picks for SMB quality players all the time. He's an experienced vet, has a tonne of starts and his contract is cheap.

By the time we get to August and teams have picked up camp injuries, there will be a market for him. Same with Justin Jones.