With a new general manager and coaching staff, the Arizona Cardinals have a lot of work to do with the roster coming off a 4-13 season.
Virtually every position group has some level of need to be addressed.
Over the next few days in this offseason series, we will take a look at each position group, what the offseason outlook is, what questions they have what what level of need is there — critical, urgent or secondary.
Next up are the cornerbacks.
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Who is on the roster?
The Cardinals only have two cornerbacks under contract for next season.
- Antonio Hamilton, unrestricted free agent
- Josh Jackson, unrestricted free agent
- Christian Matthew, signed through 2025
- Byron Murphy, unrestricted free agent
- Jace Whittaker, exclusive rights free agent
- Marco Wilson, signed through 2024
Questions and issues
The Cardinals could be looking at a complete retooling. Byron Murphy is perhaps the Cardinals’ highest-profile free agent. He could get paid, and the question is how much the new coaching staff values him, especially coming off a back injury that ended his season.
Wilson showed improvement in Year 2 and Hamilton bounced back from badly burning his feet.
Offseason need: Critical
Wilson and Matthew as the two main starters is not ideal, as we learned at the end of last season.
Jonathan Gannon has mostly coached defensive backs, so he will have a type of player he wants.
They need starters, they need a slot guy and they need depth.
James Bradberry, who played last season for the Eagles under Gannon, is a name that repeatedly comes up for the Cardinals in free agency.
