The Arizona Cardinals head into the 2024 season with improved expectations. Coming off a 4-13 season, with a lot of close losses, the team overturned much of its roster and was aggressive in free agency. That coupled with an envious amount of capital early in the draft allowed them to add some impact rookies to their roster. They selected six players in the first 90 picks
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A lot of the Cardinals’ future hopes rest on the success of their 2024 rookie class. It will take a few years for those guys to reach their ceiling , but many of them have the talent to make an immediate impact in their first year with the team. These five rookies should have an opportunity to carve out an immediate role.
WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison is the crown jewel of the Cardinals’ 2024 rookie class. He gives Arizona an immediate presence on the outside that can beat teams with size, speed, and athleticism. He joins second-year player Michael Wilson as the team’s primary receiving threats outside the numbers.
The Cardinals already have a considerable presence in the inside passing game. Tight end Trey McBride broke out in his third year with the team, catching 81 passes for 825 yards and four touchdowns. Greg Dortch should be a player featured more prominently in 2024, due to his shiftiness and route running in the middle of the field.
As Harrison gets more comfortable with the speed and rhythm of the NFL game, that should put more pressure on opposing defenses. Teams will have to move their safeties away from the middle of the field and allow others to move the chains. He’ll make an early impact on big play opportunities and red zone, but by the end of the season should be a featured target in the Cardinals’ offense.
DL Darius Robinson Jr.
Robinson could immediately factor into the Cardinals’ interior defensive line mix, especially on passing downs where he’d be asked to rush the passer. In his first year, he’ll probably be in a rotation with free agent acquisitions Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols. He also has the versatility to play defensive end, where he spent his last season at Missouri after playing on the inside the previous four seasons.
The added versatility should get him on the field more and give defensive coordinator Nick Ralls and head coach Jonathan Gannon more opportunities to attack the weakness on the opposing offensive line.
CB Max Melton and Elijah Jones
The Cardinals didn’t have much cornerback depth entering the offseason. Free agent pickup Sean Murphy-Bunting is the most experienced member of the group, but the team made a pair of selections to address the position in the first three rounds. Melton comes out of Greg Schiano’s program at Rutgers, which has a reputation for turning out quality defensive backs. He’s also had the opportunity to compete against the best receivers the Big 10 had to offer, including his new teammate Marvin Harrison Jr.
Despite his average height of 5’11”, Melton has solid length and burst to close on the ball or disrupt the catch point if he can’t. He’s also a threat to make something happen if he does get his hands on the ball, not only flipping the field but a threat to score himself. In his first season, he should compete for one of the outside corner jobs on the team. Like in college, he’ll see opportunities to square off against Harrison but this time on the practice field.
Like Melton, Jones could be a beneficiary of an unsettled cornerback group to begin the 2024 season. Jones has solid length in a 6’2″ frame and is about as battle-tested as an NFL rookie can get with five years of experience at Boston College. While not as fast and dynamic as Melton, Jones has the size and physicality needed to play on the boundary. Murphy-Bunting also has experience playing in the slot in his time with Tampa Bay, so it is possible to get all three on the field.
TE Tip Reiman
Reiman will play more of the bit role player, primarily used as a blocker while McBride carries the position on the receiving end. He fits more of the old school mold for a tight end, a more nimble blocker than an offensive tackle. He’s the type of player they can either put at the point of attack for outside runs, or have him make blocks on the move to create rush lanes for James Connor and the Cardinals’ running backs.
Beyond offense, Reiman will likely be prominently featured on multiple special teams units. He’s the type of player who could play the majority of the snaps on fourth downs, then come in as a second or third tight end in specific packages. Most of his receiving output will be as an outlet target late in the progression or in the red zone in tight end heavy packages.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
