Hope is on the rise in Arizona. For much of the 2024 season, the Cardinals looked like the best team in the NFC West. After an eight-win season, the future looks bright for Jonathan Gannon’s squad.
The Cardinals recently agreed to a contract extension with superstar tight end Trey McBride. The four-year deal is worth $76 million, making McBride the highest-paid tight end in NFL history. The deal is worth celebrating, but other Arizona Cardinals have expiring contracts that need to be addressed.
Building a winning football team is about more than executing on Sundays. It’s about finding, and paying, winning players. The Arizona Cardinals have a few important contract decisions to make over the next year. Their chosen direction could decide the fate of this era of Cardinals football.
Three upcoming contract decisions for the Arizona Cardinals
Jalen Thompson
Jalen Thompson has been good, but not great, in his time with the Arizona Cardinals. Thompson, the 2019 Supplemental Draft pick, has recorded over 400 total tackles and eight interceptions over the last four years. He has held a starting safety spot alongside Budda Baker for the majority of his time in Glendale.
However, the Cardinals drafted a potential replacement for Thompson last year in Dadrion Taylor-Demerson. The rookie played well with limited snaps in 2024. He could be in for a bigger role in the upcoming season.
Jalen Thompson’s contract is set to expire after the 2025 season. His current deal is worth an average of $12 million per year. Arizona will need to decide whether Dadrion Taylor-Demerson is ready to fill Thompson’s shoes.
Jonah Williams
Back in 2024, offensive tackle Jonah Williams inked a two-year, $30 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency. He missed the majority of his first season with the team due to a knee injury he suffered in the opening week. In his limited starts, Williams performed well, allowing zero sacks.
Williams is a functional starting offensive tackle at just 27 years of age. Players like that don’t often hit the free-agent market. The Cardinals will likely wait to see how Williams performs in 2025 before negotiating a contract extension. If Williams continues his 2024 form, he could be Arizona’s starting right tackle for years to come.
Sean Murphy-Bunting
Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting still has two years left on the contract he signed with the Cardinals before the start of the 2024 season. However, Arizona could choose to cut him after the 2025 season with limited financial reprecussions.
Murphy-Bunting, like the other players on this list, has been somewhat inconsistent in his time with the Cardinals. While he produced three interceptions last season, he also allowed receptions on over 70% of the passes thrown his way.
The Cardinals will send a message regarding Murphy-Bunting's value with how they spend their early picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. If Arizona selects a cornerback with one of its first picks, Sean Murphy-Bunting could be on the way out.