GLENDALE – The Arizona Cardinals entered the preseason with plenty of hype ahead next season. The team doubled its win total from the past two years in 2024, going 8-9 and just falling short of a playoff berth. General manager Monti Ossenfort has seen the team’s potential and invested heavy money into the defense with Josh Sweat and Calais Campbell, while drafting six defensive depth pieces to raise the team’s ceiling.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!However, the expectations for Arizona’s talent wasn’t meant by CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan during the preseason. The team went 2-1, with the starters playing limited reps. Despite that fact, Sullivan still wasn’t impressed by Cardinals play in the three preseason games.
Cardinals Trey Benson (33) and Josh Sweat (10) warm up on the sidelines during a preseason game against the Raiders at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Aug. 23, 2025. © Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Syndication: Arizona Republic
Sullivan on Cardinals unimpressive preseason:
“Kyler Murray’s interception against the Chiefs in Week 1 of the preseason is sticking with me. The Cardinals quarterback simply couldn’t get the ball to his intended target, falling way short and into the arms of Jaden Hicks. Arizona has improved the roster this offseason and is a dark horse candidate in the NFC West, but it all hinges on Murray elevating. In the small window we saw him, that’s up for debate. Meanwhile, the top defense didn’t have the best summer, allowing opening drive touchdowns every week of the preseason. Grade: C”
Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Sullivan puts much of the blame on quarterback Kyler Murray regressing from last season. The 28-year-old did have good statistical numbers, outside of the one interception, but the turnover was very poor read by the seventh-year quarterback.
While some defensive starters, like Sweat and Campbell, didn’t play many snaps in the preseason, enough of them were present to bring up a concern about the defense’s integrity. Allowing opening drive touchdowns in every preseason game is a glaring concern about the philosophy of last year’s squad. The “bend, don’t break,” mantra help them improve from second-worst in 2023 to league average last season.
Jun 10, 2025; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell (93) holds his helmet during minicamp at the teams Arizona Cardinals Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Cardinals do have one of the easiest strength of schedules in the league and don’t play a playoff team from last year until Week 7. The easier start to the season could act as the team’s true preseason to help the new starters more Intune with the system in live-game reps.
What’s more likely for the Cardinals: a top 10 offense or defense?
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
