Arizona Cardinals Face 2025 Season with Roster Rebuild, Playoff Hopes

The Arizona Cardinals, under head coach Jonathan Gannon, have made substantial progress since beginning their rebuild, exceeding expectations in his second year and fueling optimism for a playoff push in 2025, though some caution remains regarding fair expectations given their recent offensive struggles. The team's improved roster depth is reflected in Bleacher Report's surprising pick of punter Blake Gillikin as the top extension candidate, indicating few glaring weaknesses after key extensions to core players. First-round pick Walter Nolen has faced pre-draft criticism questioning his maturity and love for football, but those close to him and his coaches insist such doubts are unfounded and not reflective of his true character. Meanwhile, the broader NFL landscape sees the Philadelphia Eagles entering 2025 as defending champions with questions about a potential Super Bowl hangover, while the Dallas Cowboys face immense pressure for postseason success behind Dak Prescott. Across the league, issues such as declining TV viewership, rising streaming costs, and cooling diversity initiatives are also drawing attention as new storylines emerge ahead of the season. Despite these challenges, the Cardinals' trajectory stands out as one of the more positive and intriguing developments entering the 2025 campaign.