Arizona
Arizona Cardinals roster, depth chart projection after free agency
The primary free agent period is over, and the Arizona Cardinals addressed precious few of their needs.
A year ago, they used this time to add a Pro Bowl edge rusher and two starting defensive tackles to build a roster that looked — on paper — capable of competing for a playoff spot. This time around, their moves have mostly been on the periphery, bolstering their depth without fixing the biggest issues.
As a result, their external perception has rarely been lower. On DraftKings, they are currently +1800 to reach the playoffs — odds twice as bad as any other team. Ten teams have better odds to win the Super Bowl than the Cardinals do to make the playoffs.
So, where does the roster stand? The Cardinals have seven draft picks, most of whom will make the team, but for now, here is our 53-man roster projection.
Offense
Quarterback (2): Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew
Of the two most intriguing quarterback options on the free agent market, the Cardinals missed out on one (Malik Willis) and cut the other (Kyler Murray). Instead, they opted for a backup signing in Minshew, meaning that Brissett remains the presumptive starter heading into draft season. It’s the primary reason that oddsmakers view them as the worst team in the NFL.
Running back (4): Tyler Allgeier, James Conner, Trey Benson, Bam Knight
A week ago, this seemed as if it could be Benson’s backfield. But the Cardinals avoided cutting Conner by re-negotiating his contract, then signed Allgeier to a two-year deal. Now, Benson looks like the third back in a three-man committee. While there is plenty of experience in this room, it’s an odd mix — none of these players profiles as a third-down, pass-catching back.
Wide receiver (6): Michael Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr., Kendrick Bourne, Jalen Brooks, Xavier Weaver, Andre Baccellia
The Cardinals’ wide receiver corps is among their better position groups, and they augmented it by signing Bourne to a two-year deal. He immediately becomes a reliable third option behind Wilson and Harrison. The issue is further down the depth chart, where none of the Cardinals’ options have any track record of note in the NFL.
Tight end (3): Trey McBride, Elijah Higgins, Tip Reiman
The Cardinals haven’t made any moves at tight end because there’s no need to. McBride is their best player and arguably the best tight end in the NFL. Higgins is a solid yards-after-catch threat who fills his role well as the second tight end. And Reiman is a blocking-first tight end who makes the run game tick. This is Arizona’s best position group.
Offensive tackle (4): Paris Johnson Jr., Elijah Wilkinson, Josh Fryar, Christian Jones
The Cardinals added Wilkinson on a two-year deal in free agency, giving themselves a viable option at right tackle if they don’t find one in the draft. He has primarily been a backup throughout his career, at both guard and tackle, but did fill in suitably as a starter for the Falcons last year. Further down the depth chart, there are some homegrown young players who have shown small flashes in their rare snaps — Fryar, Jones and Demontrey Jacobs. Those players would vie for backup spots, as the roster is currently constructed.
Interior offensive line (6): Isaac Seumalo, Hjalte Froholdt, Isaiah Adams, Jon Gaines, Matt Pryor, Hayden Conner
Seumalo’s three-year deal was the Cardinals’ biggest investment of free agency, and it shores up one guard spot. Center, meanwhile, is secure with Froholdt. The other guard spot, though, looks like a competition between Adams and Gaines. Both players showed positive signs late last season. Pryor, a one-year free agent signing, can play all across the line and will provide depth if he makes the roster.
Defense
Interior defensive line (6): Walter Nolen, Darius Robinson, Dante Stills, Roy Lopez, L.J. Collier, Jonah Williams
The Cardinals made a clear effort to improve their defensive line depth after releasing Dalvin Tomlinson. They brought back Collier on a one-year deal and added Lopez and Williams, the former of whom fills a need at nose tackle. The problem: No one other than Nolen projects as anything close to an impact player. A team can only ride serviceable depth so far.
Edge rusher (5): Josh Sweat, Zaven Collins, Baron Browning, B.J. Ojulari, Jordan Burch
The Cardinals’ edge group is untouched so far this offseason. No additions, no departures. Sweat was excellent in his first season in Arizona, but no one else here has proven to be a high-level sack threat, so the Cardinals could opt for an edge rusher with the No. 3 pick.
Linebacker (3): Mack Wilson, Cody Simon, Owen Pappoe
As expected, the Cardinals released Akeem Davis-Gaither, saving $5.2 million against the cap. But they also have not replaced him, which leaves an awfully thin group. Wilson will likely once again operate the defense as the ‘green dot’ linebacker, but Simon endured some rookie struggles last season. Entrusting him with a starting job from day one of training camp would be a risk.
Cornerback (6): Will Johnson, Starling Thomas V, Garrett Williams, Denzel Burke, Sean Murphy-Bunting, Max Melton
The cornerback room is unique in that it’s the spot where the Cardinals have abundant depth. Every player here could compete for a starting role. And yet, the second outside spot remains a major question mark. Johnson figures to start at one spot, with Williams operating as the nickel when he returns from his torn Achilles. But no one immediately jumps out as a reliable starter opposite Johnson.
Safety (5): Budda Baker, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Andrew Wingard, Kitan Crawford, Joey Blount
The Cardinals allowed Jalen Thompson to leave in free agency after seven seasons, then filled his spot on the roster with Wingard, who has mostly served as a backup throughout his career. That serves as a vote of confidence in Taylor-Demerson, who was the third safety over the past two years but will now step into a starting job.
Specialists
Kicker (1): Chad Ryland
Punter (1): Blake Gillikin
Long snapper (1): Casey Kreiter
The Cardinals brought back both Ryland and Gillikin, both of whom were restricted free agents. Gillikin is entrenched at punter, while Ryland will compete with Joshua Karty for the kicker spot, though he appears to have the upper hand. The lone addition to the specialists’ room is Kreiter, who spent the past five years with the Giants. He is also familiar with the new special teams coach, Michael Ghobrial, from their time together in New York.
Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Druw Jones needed a home run to complete the cycle when he dug into the batter’s box in the eighth inning of a Double-A game on Wednesday night.
Jones, playing for Double-A Amarillo, stayed behind the baseball and drove an inside pitch to right-center field for his first home run of the season, earning the first cycle in Sod Poodles history.
🚨 DRUW JONES CYCLE 🚨
The @Dbacks prospect becomes the first @sodpoodles player to notch the milestone! pic.twitter.com/5U9ubTtIga
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 30, 2026
The 22-year-old knocked out the toughest leg first with a triple to right field in the third inning against the Midland Rockhounds (Athletics). Jones zoomed from home to third base in 11 seconds, Corbin Carroll-esque speed, for his first triple of the season.
Jones singled in the fifth on a ground ball that skipped under shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauer’s glove on what would have been a tight play at first base, and in the sixth, he doubled to right field.
His home run came off right-handed pitcher Mitch Myers to give Amarillo a 9-2 lead in a 10-2 win — infield prospect Cristofer Torin went back-to-back with Jones.
The last Diamondbacks major leaguer to hit for the cycle was Aaron Hill, who did so twice within 11 days of each other in 2012. The most recent cycle in Major League Baseball came from Minnesota’s Byron Buxton on July 12.
Jones is the No. 16 prospect in Arizona’s system as ranked by MLB Pipeline and No. 17 by Baseball America.
Known for his defense, the outfielder has gotten off to a slow start statistically with a .229/.345/.343 slash line in his first 19 games playing Double-A baseball. He hit .286 in Cactus League this past spring and performed well in the World Baseball Classic for Team Netherlands.
PHOENIX — Chandler residents may be one step closer to ending about $1.7 million a year in property taxes paid to the Roosevelt Water Conservation District after the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the city’s water agreement.
The court ruled that Chandler’s water agreement with the Roosevelt Water Conservation District remains enforceable through 2086, ending a yearslong dispute over water deliveries and taxes paid by thousands of property owners.
“Nearly 27,000 Chandler households have paid Roosevelt Water Conservation District property taxes for years without water benefits. That ends with this ruling,” Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke said in a Wednesday announcement.
Why were Chandler and RWCD in court over a water agreement?
City officials said the dispute began when the district, known as RWCD, stopped honoring its agreement to provide water to Chandler. The most recent version of that deal was signed in 2002.
Last year, Hartke told KTAR News 92.3 FM that RWCD would sometimes let water go to waste rather than sell it to the city.
RWCD was formed more than a century ago to irrigate about 40,000 acres of farmland in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and southeastern Maricopa County. As those lands urbanized, Chandler continued purchasing water through the district’s water rights.
The court rejected RWCD’s argument that Chandler waited too long to sue.
“Water is a critical public resource, and this ruling restores a key component of Chandler’s 100-year assured water supply,” Hartke said.
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Two months since the war in Iran began, the conflict shows no clear ending in sight.
President Donald Trump posted on social media that Iran is in a “state of collapse” but offered no additional context for what that means. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
The ripple effects of the war are felt around the world, with changes in gas and fuel prices impacting consumers.
Gas prices climb
In the days before the war began, the average price for a gallon of gas in Arizona was $3.59. On Tuesday, April 28, the average is $4.63. That price is even higher in Maricopa County, sitting at $4.76.
“My husband has a diesel truck, and that’s just outrageous right now. I put premium in my car, so it’s very expensive, too,” said Kathie Nunn, who lives in Phoenix.
Airline costs soar
It’s not just drivers feeling the pinch. Flyers are too.
“I would say roughly 15 or 20 percent more is what I’ve noticed that I have to pay more,” one traveler said.
The week before the war started, the price of jet fuel was $2.50 a gallon. On Tuesday, April 28, the price is $4.26, according to Airlines for America.
“I fly Southwest mostly. I was able to get a straight flight home and two from here. It was higher than normal, for sure,” said Patrick Foy, who was flying from Phoenix to Louisiana.
Major airliners have already raised checked baggage fees because of the rising fuel prices, while some of the smaller, budget airlines are asking the federal government for billions of dollars in assistance.
“It’s obviously frustrating. It affects our family’s budget,” Foy said.
Gas experts have said even when the war in Iran ends, the full relief people see at the pump or when buying a plane ticket will most likely not be immediate.
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