If the Arizona Cardinals’ 2025 trajectory remains on course, they’ll be the owners of a fourth straight losing record and third under the current regime of general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon.
In short, nowhere near where they should be in Year 3 of a rebuild.
While offseason changes would be required following another clunker of a season, the Cardinals could get a head start on stocking up for another rebuild if they become aggressive at next Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
The Cardinals (2-5) have one more game, a Monday Night Football visit to the Dallas Cowboys, on the eve of the deadline.
That leaves one more chance for Arizona to prove it’s still in the fight for a playoff spot or that it might be time to sell.
A long-term approach because of a so-far failed 2025 campaign could come with one hell of a casualty, though.
The Cardinals trade(s) that would be tough to swallow
In his return to Arizona, Calais Campbell has been one of the biggest bright spots during an otherwise dim Cardinals season.
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It’s just felt right given the nine seasons the veteran spent in Arizona after coming aboard as a 2008 second-round pick.
Then you see the impact he’s having on the Cardinals’ defense.
Through seven starts, the 39-year-old has registered three sacks, five tackles for loss, nine QB hits and a pass defensed. His 13 quarterback pressures are top five among Cardinals defenders.
He’s brought another leader to the locker room, too. His captaincy speaks for itself.
For a team in the playoff hunt and in need of a short-term defender, he is a prime candidate to try and pry away from Arizona.
It would be an absolute travesty — and clear indication of the Cardinals’ failings — if Campbell’s return home ended with a trade.
The same feeling goes for safety and six-time captain Budda Baker.
After being the heart and soul of the Cardinals’ defense through multiple coaching staffs, Baker could command a decent return from a team eyeing a postseason run.
Seven starts in, the seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro safety has recorded 49 tackles and two passes defensed.
Under contract through 2027 after inking an extension with the franchise last year, Baker getting traded would signal a massive shift for the Cardinals.
His departure seems unlikely — especially given defensive coordinator Nick Rallis’ creativity in deploying multiple safeties. But so did a 2-5 start. If the Cardinals keep losing, teams are going to at least ask about Baker’s availability.
How high is a team willing to go?
Arizona also isn’t hurting at safety.
Jalen Thompson has proven his worth as a strong option alongside Baker, while second-year pro Dadrion “Rabbit” Taylor-Demerson is on Gannon’s short list of players he wants on the field more after flashing as a rookie.
Rookie safety Kitan Crawford has gotten some more looks on defense, too, only adding to his versatility on special teams.
Speaking of Thompson, he’s another name to watch and is in the last year of his contract.
His versatility at nickel is valuable and has been on display even more with Garrett Williams on injured reserve with a knee issue.
If Williams is close to returning and the Cardinals feel confident in where Taylor-Demerson and Crawford are trending, Thompson could be an expendable piece of the puzzle that nets future assets.
Cardinals quarterback(s) potentially on the trading block?
The Cardinals’ last game before the trade deadline coincides with quarterback Kyler Murray’s expected return against the Cowboys.
In the two games Murray sat out, the offense looked better with backup Jacoby Brissett running the show than it had in the five weeks prior with Murray in charge.
Despite Brissett’s successes, the losses were largely the same as they have been with Murray under center.
Gannon has reiterated that Murray is the Cardinals’ starting quarterback when healthy. Does Monday night’s action change that thinking?
If Murray comes back and delivers, that could make Brissett’s backup role even clearer.
But with fresh 2025 tape, a team dealing with QB injuries could want to add the journeyman who’s proven he can operate at a high level on short notice.
It all depends on what the Cardinals could get for Brissett and just how important he was to Arizona’s future plans.
Then there’s the Murray question. Would the Cardinals really entertain moving on from the franchise signal caller, especially midseason?
No, I do not expect Murray gets moved at the deadline.
But if the Cardinals are headed toward an offseason filled with moving parts after a lost season, the franchise quarterback with just one playoff appearance in seven years is high on the list of changes needed.
Murray’s contract, which ranks 12th among NFL quarterbacks, includes a club option in 2028 and will always be a topic for discussion in any trade or moving on chatter. His dead cap figure ($95.3 million this season) falls off significantly in 2026 ($54.7 million) and then in 2027 ($7.2 million), making the risk lessen if another team gets a full look at him through 2026.
If the Cardinals’ new regime that inherited the signal caller isn’t sold on if he’s the guy after getting an extended look, there’s a chance for listening to offers.
Try to get something for what would be a monumental departure for the franchise, even if it results in a cap break.
Then again, what would the prospective teams even look like?
Minnesota is still very much living the J.J. McCarthy experience and is expected to get the young quarterback back from injury soon. Adding on Murray’s cap hit seems counterproductive.
The New Orleans Saints, who just benched Spencer Rattler for rookie Tyler Shough, are headed toward the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Las Vegas Raiders just traded for and extended veteran Geno Smith this offseason. They’ll need another soon, but not this soon.
The New York Jets? That’s a whole mess in itself, with starting quarterback Justin Fields and owner Woody Johnson trading shots through the media. That’s a non-starter.
The list of QB-needy teams is light, making a deal by next week’s trade deadline that much more unlikely.
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