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Predicting 2024 Arizona Cardinals roster before cut day

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Predicting 2024 Arizona Cardinals roster before cut day


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The Arizona Cardinals preseason was, for the most part, an ugly affair. They went 0-3, played few starters, and often looked lost offensively. But a handful of players on the roster bubble showed impressive flashes, with head coach Jonathan Gannon particularly encouraged by his rookies.

That creates some roster conundrums for the Cardinals ahead of Tuesday’s cut-down day. The 53 players that the Cardinals have at the end of those moves will likely not be their final 53 as they bolster their roster with claims from other teams. But for now, here is a projection of what the 53-man roster could look like on Tuesday afternoon:

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Offense

Quarterback (2)

Kyler Murray, Clayton Tune

After Sunday, when both Tune and Desmond Ridder struggled to create any offense of note, it seems increasingly likely that the Cardinals will look to acquire a backup quarterback from outside the organization. That could take the form of a waiver claim or a cheap trade, like the one they executed last August to acquire Joshua Dobbs from Cleveland. For now, though, Tune has the upper hand. He looked more comfortable than Ridder throughout training camp and preseason, earning the starting nod Sunday.

Running back (4)

James Conner, Trey Benson, Emari Demercado, DeeJay Dallas

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Sunday’s running back usage was quite strange. Gannon opted against using any of these four running backs or veteran Michael Carter — outside of a few special teams snaps for Demercado and Dallas. That seemed to indicate that the Cardinals could go with five running backs. But when asked why Carter didn’t play, Gannon responded, “Saw enough from what we needed to see for him.” That comment did not come across as encouraging for Carter’s chances, especially given that he only saw two late-game carries in the second preseason game. So now, it once again looks as if the Cardinals will go with four backs. Demercado’s role — if he makes the roster — will mainly be on third downs and special teams, while Dallas is set to primarily be a return man.

Wide receiver (6)

Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, Zach Pascal, Chris Moore, Xavier Weaver

With veteran Zay Jones suspended for the first five games of the season, the Cardinals will likely want a steady veteran to fill his place on the roster. That seemingly creates an opening for Moore, who had 22 catches for 424 yards with the Titans last year. Weaver, meanwhile, has impressed on offense and special teams after signing as an undrafted free agent in the spring. He looks likely to have a role alongside Dallas in the return game. Sixth-round pick Tejhaun Palmer should clear waivers and land on the practice squad.

Tight end (3)

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Trey McBride, Elijah Higgins, Tip Reiman

The tight-end group is cut and dry. The Cardinals could conceivably go with four tight ends, but it probably makes more sense to use that spot elsewhere on the roster. Reiman, in particular, has had a nice month, showing the blocking chops that made him a third-round pick. He adds some versatility to a room led by two players who excel as pass catchers.

Offensive line (9)

Paris Johnson, Evan Brown, Hjalte Froholdt, Will Hernandez, Jonah Williams, Kelvin Beachum, Jon Gaines, Isaiah Adams, Christian Jones

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It was a rough preseason for the Cardinals’ reserve offensive linemen, which makes keeping only nine a plausible option. That said, they could still easily choose to go with 10. Beachum is a steady backup swing tackle, but the only backup interior options here are Gaines and Adams — two players who have never played a regular-season snap. Adams, a third-round pick this year, looked excellent as a run blocker in preseason but struggled mightily as a pass blocker. So, if the Cardinals don’t trust Gaines as their top reserve on the interior, they could opt to keep a veteran like Elijah Wilkinson or Trystan Colon. Wilkinson entered camp looking like an important backup but allowed six pressures and two sacks in three preseason games.

Defense

Interior defensive line (7)

Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols, Darius Robinson, Roy Lopez, L.J. Collier, Dante Stills, Khyiris Tonga

None of these seven interior defensive linemen played on Sunday — a strong indicator that their roster spots are safe. The wild card is Robinson, who is dealing with a calf injury. If he avoids the injured reserve to start the season, the Cardinals will likely want seven players here to help provide cover. If he goes on the injured reserve, they could opt for six and use his spot on the 53-man roster to provide help elsewhere.  

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Edge rusher (5)

Zaven Collins, Dennis Gardeck, Xavier Thomas, Victor Dimukeje, Cameron Thomas

Xavier Thomas, a fifth-round pick, did not play Sunday, a reward for his excellent preseason. Dimukeje only played 12 snaps early on and should be a member of this rotation. That likely leaves one roster spot for Cameron Thomas or Jesse Luketa. Both players had strong preseasons but Thomas was slightly more consistent at generating pressure. He earns the final spot here, but it’s close to a toss-up.

Linebacker (4)

Kyzir White, Mack Wilson Sr., Owen Pappoe, Krys Barnes

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There’s no more settled group on the Cardinals’ roster outside of the specialists. White and Wilson will start; Pappoe and Barnes will back them up.

Cornerback (6)

Sean Murphy-Bunting, Garrett Williams, Max Melton, Starling Thomas V, Kei’Trel Clark, Elijah Jones

If the Cardinals opt for five corners, Clark could be a roster casualty. But the second-year player has flashed some positive signs over the past month and only played nine snaps Sunday, indicating that he’s in position to earn a reserve spot. Plus, Jones doesn’t look like a player the Cardinals can trust right now. The third-round rookie has enticing raw tools but is a likely candidate to be inactive early on as he acclimates to the speed of the NFL.

Safety (4)

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Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Joey Blount

It was an encouraging summer for the Cardinals’ safeties. Baker and Thompson performed at their usual high standard during training camp and Taylor-Demerson impressed in preseason. He could be the future of the position if Baker hits free agency after the season. Behind those three, the final roster spot comes down to Blount and Andre Chachere. Chachere saw significantly more playing time last year, but Blount is a special teams standout. If the Cardinals are comfortable with Taylor-Demerson as their primary backup safety, Blount could have the edge due to his special teams role. Sunday’s usage suggested that could be the case, with Blount sitting out while Chachere played 48 snaps.

Special teams

Kicker: Matt Prater

Puner: Blake Gillikin

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Long snapper: Aaron Brewer

The Cardinals released undrafted free agent long snapper Joe Shimko last week, finalizing this group of veterans as their specialists.



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Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping

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Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping


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  • Two teenagers were fatally shot while camping northeast of Phoenix in May 2025.
  • Both Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were shot in the head, autopsy reports said.
  • A 31-year-old man was arrested and indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths.

A 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot while camping with a female classmate northeast of Phoenix died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the first page of his autopsy report.

Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were camping just off State Route 87 near Mount Ord when the two were shot and killed. Investigators discovered their bodies, which had been moved into nearby brush to conceal them, on May 26, 2025.

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The first page of Clark’s autopsy report, which The Arizona Republic obtained March 3, found that his death was a homicide with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The first page of Kjolsrud’s autopsy report also ruled her death a homicide with her cause of death being gunshot wounds to the head and upper body.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detectives ultimately arrested Thomas Brown, 31, of Chandler on Oct. 2, 2025, in connection with their deaths. Brown was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and remained in jail on a $2 million cash-only bond.

Detectives found Brown’s DNA on gloves inside Clark’s SUV that had Kjolsrud’s blood on them as well, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Partial autopsy reports made available following legal fight

While The Republic has obtained the first pages of both Clark’s and Kjolsrud’s autopsy reports, the remaining pages appeared to remain sealed as of March 3 since Simone Kjolsrud, Pandora’s mother, petitioned to have the autopsy reports sealed or redacted. Simone Kjolsrud argued that various details about her daughter and aspects of her personal life, potentially included in such documents, should remain private and outweigh the public’s right to know.

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A Sept. 25, 2025, motion that sought to block the report’s release argued the report could contain information law enforcement hasn’t yet shared and could impair the ongoing criminal investigation.

“Simone Kjolsrud fears that, if released, her daughter’s Medical Examiner’s Report may end up on the internet or be broadcast on the news, which would undoubtedly cause additional trauma and even jeopardize her constitutional right to justice in this case,” the motion stated.

Kjolsrud asked that Clark’s autopsy be sealed as well, arguing that it would likely contain details similar to her daughter’s.

Matthew Kelley, an attorney representing The Republic and other Arizona media outlets, previously objected to the autopsies being sealed and asked that the temporary protective order be vacated.

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“To be sure, these killings are particularly traumatic for a surviving family member,” Kelley wrote in his objection. “But the pain felt by a family member cannot override the public’s right to inspect public records reflecting the performance of law enforcement and other public agencies entrusted with investigating such crimes. A veil of secrecy only raises unnecessary speculation about such public performance.”

It was not immediately clear whether Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Fish, who initially ordered the autopsies remain sealed as he reviewed their contents, would unseal additional pages in their entirety or with redactions.

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.





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No. 2 Arizona tops Iowa State to win outright Big 12 title

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No. 2 Arizona tops Iowa State to win outright Big 12 title


TUCSON, Ariz. — Jaden Bradley scored 17 points, Motiejus Krivas had 13 and No. 2 Arizona clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title with a 73-57 win over No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night.

The Wildcats (28-2, 15-2) secured at least a share of the conference crown by using big runs in each half to beat No. 14 Kansas 84-61 on Saturday.

Arizona earned it outright by smothering Iowa State defensively to give Tommy Lloyd his 140th victory, most in NCAA history in a coach’s first five seasons.

“The Big 12 is the best basketball conference in the country,” Lloyd said while addressing the home crowd after the game, “and to win it by a couple of games, it’s pretty impressive. So take your hats off to these guys right here.”

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Coming off their first home loss of the season, the Cyclones (24-6, 11-6) labored against Arizona’s physical defense, shooting 29% from the field, including 7-of-30 from 3-point range.

During his postgame news conference, Lloyd called out the narrative surrounding his team when discussing the Wildcats’ toughness and physicality.

“I think the narrative that we were soft is lazy. I mean, look at our stats, look at our analytics — we’ve always been a great rebounding team, we’ve always pounded the paint,” Lloyd said. “If you want to just be lazy and not pay attention and say we’re soft because we’re on the West Coast, be lazy, and I’d love to play against you.”

Tamin Lipsey led Iowa State with 17 points, but leading scorer Milan Momcilovic was held to five points on 2-of-8 shooting. The nation’s best 3-point shooter at 51%, Momcilovic went 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.

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Neither team could make much of anything, due to good defense and poor shooting.

Iowa State shot 9-of-33 from the field and 4-of-20 from 3 in the first half.

Arizona labored most of the half as the Cyclones focused on defending the paint before the Wildcats closed on a 15-3 run to lead 37-25 at halftime.

It only got worse for Iowa State to start the second half. The Cyclones missed their first eight shots as Arizona stretched the lead to 16.

Iowa State briefly found an offensive rhythm, using a 10-1 run to pull to within 44-37, but didn’t hit a field goal for more than five minutes as Arizona stretched the lead back to 15.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Arizona NAACP responds to ‘Simon Says’ case, calls for police accountability

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Arizona NAACP responds to ‘Simon Says’ case, calls for police accountability


PHOENIX — The Arizona NAACP is responding to the violent arrest of Israel Devoe, a Phoenix man who was acquitted of all charges stemming from a 2024 traffic stop in which officers punched, kneed, and elbowed him.

Sarah Tyree, president of the Arizona NAACP State Conference, said the case is part of a broader and familiar pattern.

“What happened here reflects a pattern our communities know all too well. Time and again, we see policing tactics that are dangerous and deeply harmful to civilians, yet are later justified as ‘within policy’ through carefully crafted reports and the broad protections afforded under Graham v. Connor,” Tyree wrote in an emailed statement following an ABC15 investigation.

RELATEDPhoenix man to file lawsuit after dangerous game of ‘Simon Says’ with police

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Phoenix police officials found all four officers involved in Devoe’s arrest to have acted within policy, records show.

After a two-day trial, jurors unanimously found Devoe not guilty on all four of the felony charges against him — including aggravated assault on officers and resisting arrest.

In her statement, Tyree said true accountability is not possible without changing state law.

“Accountability remains out of reach in Arizona because the Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights continues to insulate misconduct from meaningful oversight, too often shifting blame onto the very communities most impacted by these encounters,” she wrote. “We also encourage Arizona voters to engage their state legislators and advocate for the repeal or amendment of the Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights to ensure systems of public safety are truly accountable to the public they serve.”

Devoe’s case again highlights problems with policing in Phoenix, which has been under scrutiny following a Department of Justice investigation that found the city had a pattern and practice of using excessive force, discrimination, and weak oversight.

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The push for federal oversight ended in 2025 after the Trump administration ended such efforts across the country.

Devoe’s civil attorney, Jesse Showalter, also represents Tyron McAlpin, a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy who was violently arrested by Phoenix officers in July 2024. Showalter has said both cases reflect what he described as an accepted norm of extreme violence within the Phoenix Police Department.

A Phoenix police spokesperson said the department declines to comment because Devoe is set to file a lawsuit against the city.

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This digital article was produced with the assistance of AI and converted to this platform based on the broadcast story written and reported by ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing (Dave@abc15.com). Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. 





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