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 safeties.
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Who is on the roster?
Only the Cardinals’ starters are under contract.
- Budda Baker, signed through 2024
- Jalen Thompson, signed through 2025
- Chris Banjo, retired and now a Broncos coach
- Charles Washington, unrestricted free agent
Questions and issues
This is a position of stability for the Cardinal, but the main question is how both players fit in the team’s new defensive scheme that is coming.
Could Isaiah Simmons be moved to safety?
Baker is a star. Thompson wasn’t as good in 2022 but is still quite capable.
Offseason need: Secondary
This is not a position where there is much concern. Both Baker and Thompson are scheme-flexible.
Maybe Simmons is added to the mix, but it is hard to move either Baker or Thompson because of their contracts.
They will need depth, of course, to play special teams, and perhaps with special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Jeff Rodgers remaining on staff, Washington could return for a fifth season.
We can expect to see small moves here with depth players the coaching staff is faniliar with.
