This offseason, there have been two major talking points surrounding the Arizona Cardinals. First, that the team has made major improvements along its defensive front. Second, whether Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. will make the improvements necessary to lift an offense that saw no major changes.
But there's a third storyline that could quietly determine the Cardinals' fate in 2025. The team is heavily relying on young cornerbacks after a season-ending injury to 2024 starter Sean Murphy-Bunting. One of those young defenders could be ready to make a name for himself this year.
Cardinals CB Max Melton quietly set for a breakout season in 2025
The Arizona Cardinals selected former Rutgers cornerback Max Melton in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Melton immediately stepped into an Arizona defense that lacked talent at every level, especially on the defensive line. The Cardinals' front struggled to generate any sort of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. As a result, Arizona's secondary was forced to cover receivers for longer.
That's not exactly an ideal situation for a rookie cornerback to step into, and it showed. Melton took time to adjust to the NFL. Over the course of his rookie season, Melton earned a PFF coverage grade of 56.1.
There were some encouraging signs in Melton's rookie performance. He allowed completions on just 64% of targets. That's a better mark than other stars in his draft class like Cooper DeJean and Kamren Kinchens.
Melton only started in three games as a rookie. For the most part, he was substituted in when Garrett Williams moved into the nickel position. He played just over 550 snaps throughout the season.
In his second year with the Cardinals, there won't be anywhere to hide for Melton. He is set to be a full-time starter at one of the Cardinals' outside cornerback spots. Assuming that rookie Will Johnson takes some time to adjust to the NFL, Melton will be a key piece in Arizona's secondary from the first day of the season.
This time, he's set up for success. The Cardinals' defensive line is much better than it was last season, which will lead to more mistakes made by opposing quarterbacks. That means more big plays for defensive backs like Max Melton.
Melton himself feels like bigger things are in store in his second season, primarily due to his deeper understanding of the defensive scheme. When speaking to the media, Melton said, "Now I can do all these things I can to get the ball. Force fumbles as well. Not even just talking interceptions. But what's on my mind this year is the ball."
If Max Melton can translate his skill set and increased understanding of Arizona's defensive scheme into big plays this season, he could transform into a superstar.