The Arizona Cardinals and their new identity is starting to come into focus. This was the first big offseason for Jonathan Gannon to acquire players who fit his vision for the team moving forward.
Arizona made 12 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft and added a slew of talent in free agency. Gannon and friends are finally starting to shape the roster into their image, and we like what we see.
However, adding so many players in one offseason also means that Arizona will face some tough decisions when it comes time to make roster cuts after training camp.
Here are three Cardinals cut candidates who may not make the final final roster.
Does Trey Benson make Michael Carter irrelevant?
The Arizona Cardinals claimed Michael Carter off waivers in 2023. Carter put in a solid effort in 2023, logging 30 carries for 187 yards at an impressive 6.2 yards per carry. Some fans hoped that Michael Carter might have a long-term home in Arizona. That looked like a possibility earlier in the offseason. However, it now looks like Carter could become a cap casualty.
The first reason is of course his salary. Carter only came with a $400k cap hit in 2023 based on the structure of his contract and when he was claimed off waivers. However, he is in the final year of his rookie contract and has a whopping $3 million cap hit. That doesn’t sound like much, but it is very expensive for a backup running back who has showed as little as Carter has.
To make matters worse, the Cardinals drafted running back Trey Benson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Benson is an exceptional athlete and can bring some value in the passing game as well as running the football. He could become a do-it-all gadget player for the Cardinals in no time.
Unfortunately, that should make it easy for the Cardinals to feel comfortable cutting Carter and saving some cap space.
Zach Pascal could be the odd man out in a deep Cardinals wide receiver room
The Cardinals felt like they lacked offensive weapons in 2023. Now all of a sudden they have plenty of solid options at wide receiver.
First-round rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. is of course the leader of this position group. Behind him, things are a little less certain. Michael Wilson and Zay Jones are expected to be the other top options in Arizona’s defense. That leaves Greg Dortch, Chris Moore, Zach Pascal, and a handful of others in competition for an unknown number of roster spots.
In the event that Arizona only keeps five wide receivers, Zach Pascal could be on the outside looking in.
Pascal followed head coach Jonathan Gannon to the Cardinals. The pair have a history together with both the Indianapolis Colts and the Philadelphia Eagles. Pascal was a solid wide receiver in Indy, racking up over 40 receptions twice in four seasons. He played one year with the Eagles and his production declined somewhat, though he was not a primary fixture in Philly’s run-heavy offense.
Pascal really fell off in 2023. On an Arizona team that desperately needed a consistent contributor, Pascal only logged four catches for 19 yards.
The 29-year-old would seriously need to wow the coaching staff in training camp and the preseason to keep his job.
L.J. Collier will have a tough fight ahead to make the final roster
The defensive line was a huge need for the Cardinals coming into the offseason. Arizona addressed it aggressively in free agency and the draft. Specifically, they addressed the type of role that Collier has filled on the team to date.
In free agency, Arizona added Justin Jones on a three-year contract. They also handed one-year deals to Bilal Nichols and Khyiris Tonga, both of whom are defensive tackles. This effectively rebuilt the entire Cardinals defensive tackle room. This is relevant to Collier, technically a defensive end, because he plays a lot of snaps on the interior.
Things got worse for Collier in the draft when the Cardinals spent a first-round pick on defensive lineman Darius Robinson. He is a big, powerful player who has an awesome motor. Robinson’s body type lets him do a little bit of everything on the defensive line, including kicking inside from time to time. Again, stealing opportunities from L.J. Collier.
The other major problem for Collier is that he just hasn’t been that productive as a pro. The former first-round pick looks like a bust at this point, only managing two total tackles in 2023. This is especially concerning because he played on an Arizona defense that was desperate for someone to step up.
L.J. Collier is a long shot to make the Cardinals roster, and honestly his NFL career could be in question.
